Saturday morning I heard a Red-winged Blackbird’s distinctive call coming from the apple tree. Two days ago I saw a Bald Eagle circling over the Orphaned Woods. Today a flock of geese flew over the farm, headed north.
Even the chickens are showing signs of spring.
They’re out all day pecking around the farm. It’s as if they’ve had enough of staying in. They’re not even hanging out in the barn. And even on rainy days, they’re wandering around, getting soaked. They’re eating less laying mash so they must be finding something to eat in the wet, softening earth.
We’re sure to have more snow before the winter leaves for good. But for now, the hens are back to trying to eat the cat’s food on the back porch as they do when Minnie and Flo would rather be outside than in.
I like to think that these same geese may have wintered over with us. The 2 little flocks that stay on the golf course beyond our back yard have left and also the flocks of mixed blackbird species from the Delaware Marshes. They pause in our back yards to fill up on seeds and food scraps before flying on Northwards.
These birds are a much better indication of Spring on the way to us than any weather forecaster.
Ah you must miss the geese. I saw some more today. But now it’s snowing again. Like you say, the birds tell more about the season that the weather.