Everybody seems to feel

a bit like spring these days! Just from experience, I am always a bit hesitant to call it in but there are little signs all over. This Cardi lady with beautiful eyebrows has started to show up at the cameras, and today, a male joined her! The sounds in the yard have changed too, and I think spring is really seriously on the way. Spring is my favorite season, so I am always excited to experience it, but this year, somehow I am even more impatient.

Favorite feathered friends from February 2021!

(Just some more backyard bird friends.)

Well, there we go! The Bluebirds are officially nest building.

I did maintenance work

on my BB nestbox cam today because it feels like spring is approaching - I heard Cardinals sing and also read that people in Michigan have seen Redwinged Blackbirds! The cam had stopped working for a bit and I replaced it. This cam cannot be livestreamed but I will share videos or photos when things happen. There were pine needles in there, and I saw a female adding more today. Fingers crossed for a good but not too early season. The Cardi watched me while I was doing this.

The Woodpeckers

were happy today. I thought it was funny that the Downy came to the camera feeder. And I am crossing my fingers that one Woodpecker species will choose to nest in my bos this year.

It is getting milder

and the yard is turning into a slushy pit but we had sun today, and at this time of the year, it always feels somewhat healing. A Cardinal came over, and I thought about all the people who have lost someone during these times where saying goodbye cannot happen the way it used to. They say when a Cardinal comes by, it is a greeting from a loved one that has passed. This is a big hug to all of you who have lost someone during this pandemic. Love as much as you can. And wear a mask, so we can return to more normal times soon.

Do you think they’re ANGRY?  

My chilly backyard birds. 

Otherwise,

we are all hanging in here, trying to stay warm and in good spirits. I hope you do too. Watching the birds and their antics helps :) Come good into the week!

The Titmice

must have a peanut radar as well - sometimes I don’t see any for a couple of days, but once the peanut ratio is replenished in the feeder mix, they show up. They have a surprisingly loud voice for such a little bird, and the other day, I heard the first, almost perfect PETERPETER PETER of the year.

The other day,

I read that Blue Jays possibly use their black head and neck markings to identify each other. One year I tried to count how many different individuals I had with photos, comparing the markings. It was a fruitless effort with all the detail but every now and then, some are sticking out a bit. It is cool to know they might be doing just the same.

The Starlings

know that there are mealworms fed here and occationally in the open, so they stick around. It is interesting to see that some of them are starting to change into their mating looks - the beaks are turning yellow, they lose the “stars” and the legs and feet are getting more red. The sun loves them and reveals why I also call them “evil rainbows”.

Cedar waxwings in our holly yesterday

A morning crow. An affirmation. 🪶

The Bluebirds had a field day,

they checked out the nestbox, fought off and shared mealworms with the Juncos and were overall seeming to have a grand time. They are so fabulous against the snow and blue sky too.

This morning

temperatures were at -18 °C (I was born and raised in Germany, and Fahrenheit does not make sense to me, sorry). It was frosty but the sun was shining, and the snow was beautiful. Snow and sun always make for nice, clear photos, and some visitors showed their “chocolate side” as we say in German 🙂

I was hoping

for all kinds of cool photos on the big snow day…. But. The Starlings are still here, there are also tons of Goldfinches, and to be hinest, there is not a lot of exciting stuff happening. But here is a Hazel standing up to a Starling. Here’s to a better Wednesday!

The lonesome nest at my front door waits for spring.

Juncos came to visit again