Early Spring?

While I was finally raking up the leaves left untouched beneath inches (and inches) of snow this past winter, the distinctive "cheer, cheer, cheer" song of the Northern Cardinal echoed about the yard. It took a few minutes of careful listening, but I eventually found him hiding in the bare ranches of neighbor's tree.


Each year a different family of birds moves into the nest under the soffet of our home, an area visible by the patio. For today, at least, it appears as though a black-capped chickadee was scouting some new digs.