We have been out and about in the woods the past couple of days.
But we have found some interesting nature finds in our own backyard too!
~Spring isn't technically here until next week, but the birds are back in town. The loud bossy Grackles and Starlings are here, much to the dismay of the House Sparrows.
~Yesterday I saw the sweetest sight - a Mourning Dove couple was sitting on the ground in the sunshine, under a bush in a protected spot. It is rare to see songbirds just sitting on the ground, but it seems to be common for Mourning Doves. It made me feel good that they feel safe in our yard. For the past three weeks I have been hearing them cooing from our big Spruce.
~We had our first Tundra Swan sighting in two different cornfields on our way to the barn. The regal white birds with black beaks are pretty exciting to see.
~This morning I discovered the first wrecked House Sparrow nest of the year, packed full of chicken feathers. The sparrows won't mourn, but will get busy right away on a new one. visit #warm_as_wool for the photo
~While sitting at our kitchen table, I saw something gold and fluffy hanging in the tree branches. When I pulled it down, I discovered that it is most likely cedar bark which was stripped off by squirrels; we have both red and gray squirrels in our yard and our neighbors have a long stretch of cedars across the street. The squirrels use it as nesting material. It is amazing how soft the bark is when shredded so fine.
It is a fantastic world in which we live - both in exotic locations and in our own backyards!