Early spring is the time to see, hear and photograph Song Sparrows. The lack of leaves make them easy to spot.

Here are 9 that I was able to photograph on this lovely sunny, 5 degree morning.

The early 8 am start to Saturday walks creates some fine images:

This morning’s group:

Trembling Aspen is in flower:

Raccoons, who are busy at night, are fast asleep now:

Today’s bird list:

Species list: horned grebe, red-necked grebe, double-crested cormorant, mute swan, Canada goose, mallard, gadwall, lesser scaup, long-tailed duck, common goldeneye, bufflehead, red-breasted merganser, Cooper’s hawk, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, mourning dove, northern flicker, tree swallow, black-capped chickadee, American robin, European starling, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, northern cardinal, house finch, dark-eyed junco, song sparrow.  (29 species)

Birds that I was able to photograph:

This morning I saw my first Tree Swallow of the season:

and my first Northern Flicker. The black “mustache” indicates that it is a male:

NATURE POETRY

April cold with dripping rain
Willows and lilacs brings again,
The whistle of returning birds,
And trumpet-lowing of the herds.     – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82)

Miles Hearn