GOOD NEWS, THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING MARCH 20,2014
After all the snow, and snow, and snow and cold this winter we have finally reached a point on the first day of spring that we can see the bare ground in a lot of places. The snow is still a several inches thick on the north side of hills and where snow plows pushed snow higher along the roads and drive ways.
Cobus Creek is along the property in back and we watch the water rise as the snow melts. So far this year the daytime temps are in 40s and 50s which allows snow to melt slowly, reducing the chance for high water flooding.
We have bird feeders near our back patio and have fed every bird in the neighborhood during the cold, snowy winter. I had taken down the Blue Bird feeder in the fall, thinking the Blue Birds were leaving. That was not the case. We had about six that were eating suet so I put the feeder back up. It looks like a feeder that has a inverted V shaped roof with on side hinged, except it has a hole on each end for the Blue Birds to come into the feeder. In the center inside is a cup which I put dried Mealworms. You can buy them in a bag.  The Blue Birds like them and they are dried protein for them. I have several Blue Bird houses throughout the property and we have had several occupied during the spring.
I do have to watch out for Sparrows wanting to claim the houses before the Blue Birds nest. You can tell the difference between how they build the nest. The Blue Birds have fine nesting material, the sparrow, catch as catch can.I did my walk around the property and saw the spring flowers pushing through the leaf cover along the creek. This time next month will see more green grass and buds on trees getting ready to leaf out.