Sap is dripping from our large silver maple tree (Acer saccharinum) during the day and freezing as icicles on cold nights. I see this as a sign of spring.
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Subtle Valentine’s Day colors
When people think of northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) they often visualize the brilliant red males. The female is not nearly as showy, and is easily overlooked. Nevertheless, I think she is quite beautiful, with shades of red in her feathers, bright red ‘eyebrows’, and a red beak outlined in black.
Carolina wrens – another backyard favorite
It was a cold, snowy weekend here in Lexington, which brought lots of different birds (eighteen species) to our feeders. I enjoyed watching all of them, but must admit I have my favorites, including our pair of Carolina wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus). These small birds have a rusty-colored back, prominent eye stripe, long curved beak and up-turned tail. They are permanent residents and provide much enjoyment all year round.
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Thirsty robins
We had a surprising number of robins (Turdus migratorius) in the yard last week when our temperatures dropped to 12 degrees. The bird bath, with a heater that keeps the water from freezing, became a very popular spot.
Icy backyard art
We had just enough ice last week to give the backyard a very different look, and it was fun to get out and look around. The wire fence around the compost pile was strung with crystal beads that struck me as somewhat ‘arty’.