Spring Has Sprung

How on earth am I supposed to focus on office work when it is so wonderfully warm outside? How on earth am I supposed to focus on anything else at all when there are so many birds to see?

Knowing that the forecast calls for rain this afternoon, I made myself a bit late for work this morning by taking a pass through the Arboretum at 7am. And oh my goodness, I am glad I did.  Two brilliant male Blackburnian Warblers, two only-slightly-less brilliant male American Redstarts, lots of Black-throated Green Warblers singing.  My first Baltimore Oriole of the year.



Song Sparrows and Field Sparrows abounded.  I may have heard a Vesper Sparrow, but I'm not 100% sure. The song was similar to a Song Sparrow, but... different.  More musical and varied? But still with the same introductory-notes-followed-by-trills pattern.

 I did catch these two rival Northern Flickers facing off, which was incredibly cool to see.  They just kind of bobbed their heads at each other and posed.



(Please forgive the poor photo quality; the lighting was, of course, terrible at that moment.)

So many birds to see.  I have the feeling I'm going to spend most of my weekend outdoors.