The Arrival of Spring

Spring has finally arrived here. A few days ago I awoke to take my dog for her morning walk, when we went outside we were greeted to the glorious calls of Robins and Red-winged Blackbirds. There is nothing quite like these first sounds of spring, a new beginning, after a long cold winter. Several weeks ago I noticed the Horned Larks were back hanging out on the gravel road so I knew that Robins and the like weren’t too far behind. I am eagerly awaiting the next sign of spring’s arrival and that is when the frogs and toads emerge and start to chorus in vernal ponds in the abandoned cattle pasture behind my home. The first frogs to emerge will be the tiny Chorus Frogs. They should be singing their hearts out in a couple of weeks or so. I find these male amphibians rather comical during the spring chorus, almost as though they are competing in some sort of “male vocalist of the year” competition.

I have been too busy with various projects to get out and shoot fresh images of the birds, so today’s post features two photographs from the archives.