By the end of March, some birds are nearly into their breeding plumage. 

Scruffy ones can be confusing, which adds to the fun of identification!

3-26-25 American Goldfinch

American Goldfinches are pretty recognizable now.

3-26-25 Brown Creeper with larvae food

A Brown Creeper found a hidden bit of larval food on an oak branch.

3-17-25 Northern Mockingbird #29 at the bubbler

4-6-25 Northern Mockingbird

A pair of Northern Mockingbirds have become quite at home in our yard this year, a first. They're frequently at the window feeders on colder mornings.

3-21-25 White-throated Sparrow

Two of those scruffy characters right now are White-throated Sparrows.

3-22-25 Eastern Phoebe

The male Eastern Phoebe still calls in the mornings, claiming the pair's territory while the female is on the nest. 

3-29-25 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3-29-25 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3-29-25 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker #2

Two male Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were in the woodland one day, chasing each other through the trees.

3-31-25 Chipping Sparrow

4-1-25 Chipping Sparrow

Chipping Sparrows arrived on 3-29-25 and were around for several days. 
 

3-31-25 Yellow-rumped Warbler

One Yellow-rumped Warbler is being seen daily, usually going after a bit of suet in between the woodpeckers.

4-1-25 Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinals are singing a lot now in their beautiful ruby red plumage.

  4-6-25 Hairy Woodpecker with spider

We watched a Hairy Woodpecker for quite a while at lunch one day. It was focused on finding food in the "soft landings". This is the layer of habitat that is so crucial for insects to complete their life cycles. It is the forest floor, comprised of fallen leaves, twigs, and native plants such as Virginia Bluebells (upper left), Smooth Hydrangea (upper right), and  the slender stalks of Solomon's Seal (foreground). The bird probed with its long bill and found ants, small larvae and finally, a fat spider. Yay for soft landings!

4-6-25 White-breasted Nuthatch 4-6-25 White-breasted Nuthatch 4-6-25 White-breasted Nuthatch

We had a storm that went on for about four days with nearly 6" of rainfall. This White-breasted Nuthatch was the first bird to jump in for a bath the very next morning. Wonder where it had been hiding out of the rain?? It looked so excited about getting a bath!!

4-7-25 Hermit Thrush FOY #51 4-7-25 Hermit Thrush FOY #51

Some days, I just get really lucky being in the right place at the right time. That has happened twice this week, first when I walked to the window in time to see this Hermit Thrush stop by for a bath about 6:30 p.m. on 4-7-25. 

4-9-25 Louisiana Waterthrush 4-9-25 Louisiana Waterthrush 4-9-25 Louisiana Waterthrush 4-9-25 Louisiana Waterthrush 4-9-25 Louisiana Waterthrush

And the second time was yesterday morning, when I checked one last time before leaving the room. Louisiana Waterthrush! This is not a bird I see every year, and I was thrilled! It is a warbler, very similar to the Northern Waterthrush which usually arrives a bit later. The Louisiana prefers moving water, finding tiny little larvae in the algae on the rocks. This bird was all over the bubbler area, finding lots to eat. In the third photo, a little green tidbit can be seen at the end of its bill.  It also usually has a pure white throat and bubblegum pink legs, bobbing its body in a slow, swaying motion. Its bill is a bit larger than the Northern's and it can take larger food. They do vary a bit, but here's a comparison photo:

4-9-25 Both Waterthrushes

For more information on both of these species, check out this link:  Louisiana Waterthrush

And, this one:  Northern Waterthrush

Yes, these two can be easily confused, they're very similar warblers.

3-31-25 Virginia bluebells (Mertensia Virginia)

The Virginia Bluebells and other native plants survived all the rain and then a hard freeze.

Native plants are indeed hardy!