I’ve been patiently waiting for the return of my spring favorites. Oh, who am I kidding? There was no patience whatsoever; I am terribly impatient and I look forward to these days beginning in the dead of winter when it seems like winter won’t end! I had been seeing reports on Facebook and Journey North that early sightings had been reported last week in Michigan for both, Baltimore Orioles and Ruby-throat Hummingbirds. I cleaned my Oriole feeder that my dad made me several years ago and put out grape jelly but the only birds I caught eating it were the House Finches. Beginning yesterday, the Michigan Bird Watching site that I’m a member of went crazy with people posting pictures of their first sightings of orioles, hummingbirds and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and I was starting to get frustrated because they hadn’t made it to me yet. This evening I spotted my first sighting of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak and I’m sure that the orioles and hummingbirds will be here before the weekend is over. Whenever they decide to show up, I’ll be ready; the oranges are out, the jelly cup is full and there’s a fresh batch of hummingbird nectar in the feeder. Are you ready or were you one of the lucky ones who has already seen these beauties?
On one of the warm days last week I headed out for a walk and heard a tapping noise that was rather close. I started walking in the direction of the noise and found this little Downy Woodpecker making a hole in my shed trim. Upon further inspection, it appears that there was a peanut that somehow got in one of the groves behind the trim. I suspect that a bird stuck it there saving it for later.
