Yesterday a pair of sandhill cranes were walking across a field, but later this week the field may be covered with snow again. Although with their long legs, the cranes would have an easier time walking through the snow than I would.
Springtime Sandhill Cranes
The birds seemed to be singing extra cheerful this morning and it probably was because it was finally above freezing again in the sunshine.
Happy Birds
The birds were enjoying an above freezing morning as they picked at the Black-eyed Susan dried flower heads eating seeds. The flower stems bent under the weight of the birds as the junco, goldfinch and redpoll consumed their breakfast.
Birds Enjoying Flowerheads
It was a good thing these birds have headed south for the winter already because otherwise there would have been a lot of aborted landings with the very strong wind gusts overnight and during this morning.
Aborted Landings
By the end of the day, I had patches of ground showing as more snow melted, giving hope that spring is coming. At least some of the birds think so as I heard several sandhill cranes flying overhead, but when the temperatures cool off next week, they might decide to return south again.
Returning Sandhill Cranes
The birds seemed to be extra chipper once the sun came out this afternoon, even if the temperature was below freezing. The chickadees and finches were making lots of trips to the feeder in the sunshine and singing in the trees in between trips.
Feeding in the Sunshine
The seagulls must have decided that I took one too many steps toward them as they all started to fly away from me.
Seagulls Taking Flight
Today’s full moon is also a super moon and so it is called Super Worm Moon. The worm part coming from a time when the ground is beginning to soften enough for earthworms to reappear and enticing robins to return. It is also called Sap Moon, so it could be Super Sap Moon instead as the sugar maple sap is beginning to flow. The warm temperatures yesterday didn’t bring any robins back yet, but the killdeer, red-winged blackbirds and a pair of geese did show up. My pond isn’t big enough to support the trumpeter swans but they sure would look prettier than the geese I get.
Returning Swans
With a very cold start of the day, these birds should have had snuggling close together instead of standing off from one another.
Pair of Birds
Many are celebrating Father’s Day, with gifts to dad or activities like fishing with the family as tribute to fathers. The birds might not observe holiday events, but the father of these red-winged blackbirds was doing his best to protect his children by making noise and swooping to drive me away from the nest. His song was not the nice melody when they return in spring, but the scolding chak chak chak noise that red-winged blackbirds make when you’re in their territory.
Baby Red-winged Blackbirds
