According to the calendar we have reached springtime and some things are showing that it is really here.

The azaleas have been the prettiest they have been for several years and all the trees are leafing out. Most of our visiting northern birds have gone their way and our local ones are singing their hearts out, maybe because they don’t have to compete with a hungry bunch of visitors. And it could be they are glad the different species of their feathered friends are gone. We see the mocking birds trying to gather material for their nests and the other birds are doing the same thing so maybe they are just happy to be starting a family.

The humming bird has been back about a week now, which is about a week later than usual. The first one back was probably the male we had last year and he forgot to ask directions but he does seem to be by himself. While watching the little fellow you can imagine what might be confusing him. He goes around looking at all the pretty azaleas and then he visits the feeders and you can just imagine he might be scratching his head and wondering why it’s all so confusing. At least that is what his human male counterparts do when the confusion gets to be too much. But the females will be here soon and he will have company and will be busy trying to feed the female as she sits on a nest they have both worked to build, a job Mother Nature has given them.

The other birds are still busy doing the same sort of things but they are not as noticeable as the little hummers. The red-headed woodpecker still climbs the telephone pole and watches for something he can dive down and get for a meal, a meal he usually takes to the top of the pole to dine on. The female woodpecker is not decorated as pretty as the male but she does her work just as well.

There are several other birds and animals that live mostly in and around our yard and they get pretty interesting at times. Take the little wrens, for instance. They are by far the nosiest of all the creatures we see. These little birds will investigate everything in our area, sometimes several times a day. And if anything new shows up they really get into seeing what it is and what they might use it for. There are two of these fellows that signal when it is about to rain. We have two little baskets out on the carport and the front porch and when they think it will rain they come and sleep in the baskets and if it is cold they often double up and sleep together. The trouble is, they are often fooled and it doesn’t rain but they have a good night anyway. Margaret Orr misses the correct weather sometime so I guess they aren’t alone.

The armadillos are busy trying to dig up the yard and make holes all around and I guess they find something in the soil to eat. It would be a blessing if they would go next door or somewhere else to do their digging. The raccoons have about quit coming to eat and I guess they don’t like the bird food they find in our yard. The little squirrels come early and they may be doing away with the bread and bird food before the raccoons come around.

Another set of visitors to our yard would be the cats that come wandering around the neighborhood. There are three different cats that I see and I can tell when they have been here whether I see them or not. Once or twice a week we find bird feathers scattered around the bird feeder and I know one or the other of them has been by and that a bird is gone. Someone feeds these pets because they are too healthy and well fed looking, but they remember their heritage and have to hunt every once in a while.

We should be thankful for our seasons, especially spring, with our celebration of Easter and we remember what Easter is about.

May God bless you all.