Nature Notes

Our last few posts have shown that Spring is in full bloom here! A pair of Black-capped Chickadees are building a nest in our orchard bird house. The male looks on and calls encouragingly to his mate "Hey, Sweetie!" and "Pretty Birdie!" as the female flies back and forth carrying moss in her bill. Our Chimney Swifts are beginning to arrive back in twos and threes, chattering as they circle above our monastery catching bugs. The tulips are in full bloom and add a bright shot of vibrant color around the garden, and the lilies of the valley are just beginning to poke their way up through the soil. Yet some of our wildlife isn't quite ready to leave Winter behind. In particular we have a flock of about 20 White-winged Crossbills that have been hanging around--literally! These winter birds with the funny bill hang upside down from the pine cones of our Spruce trees while feeding on them. Usually Crossbills do not come this far south, but every once in awhile they can be found in winter as far south as the Carolinas.

Here are some pictures of our winter hold-outs: