May Days

May is half way over, June is right around the corner. Busy season in the park. Having a long winter, and virtually no spring has, in effect, allowed summer to sneak up on me. I'm surprised to be looking forward so soon to summer activities, and bypassing what would have been spring preparation.

But I'm certainly not complaining. Even though the calendar doesn't agree, it is spring in this mountain valley. Trees are beginning to bud out. Frogs are singing their chorus. Birds are building, mating, and hatching. I think some may be new in the home-making arena.

This is a Brewer's Blackbird nest built haphazardly on a Barn Swallow nest. Not sure this is going to survive long. I wonder what the swallow thought of this arrangement.

Maybe this is him, confused about the situation and wondering where to build now.

The park is beautiful right now. Most of the early spring birds have come to the pond, spent a few weeks, and have now continued on their way. Occasionally a wandering bird will find his or her way over and spend a day bobbing along. And when I look out the window at just the right time, I'm sometimes lucky enough to spot 'em.


I've never seen a Wilson's Phalarope on the pond before. Yesterday we had three. Two males and a female. This was the only guy cooperative enough to come over for some pictures.

Today promises to be another beautiful, warm, welcoming day. I can't wait to see what today will bring to the park.