Spring Sparrows and other Spring Things!

Happy First Day of Spring!

There are a few more signs of spring happening here, and it sure is a welcomed event!  In the last few days, I've seen these signs...

More birds, and this one's for you, Sara!

The first Fox Sparrow I saw this year was on March 18th.  We see them on their northward journey to their nesting grounds in Canada.  

This one was enjoying the seeds underneath our bird table.  I don't think they sing until they arrive at their final destination, at least I've never heard one that I know of.  "What does the Fox Sparrow say?" you ask?  Click here if you want to hear their song.  It's really quite lovely.

They get their name from their color - especially their tail, is a pretty 'foxy' red.

But they can be identified almost as much from their behavior as their looks.  They 'spring' around a lot, trying to kick up food, as you can see from this video:

The next day, March 19th, I saw my first Song Sparrow of the year.

This morning, Ruby and I heard one singing when we were out for a walk.  You can listen to their song here.  Does it sound like "Madge, Madge, Madge, put on your tea-kettle, -ettle, -ettle"?  That's one phrase people have attributed to it.

Here is a video with a Fox Sparrow on the left and a Song Sparrow on the right:

Besides these two kinds of sparrows, other signs of spring I've seen are: a chipmunk out and about up in the woods:

My snowdrops are starting to bloom...

and the ice on the swamp is giving way to a little water... even though it measured 17" thick in one of the spots my hubby dug to check it a couple of weeks ago.

A muskrat found something green to eat and enjoyed it on his own small 'iceberg' in the middle of that stream!

And of course, the Robins and Red-winged Blackbirds that I've mentioned in other posts.  So, even though as I look out the window on what the calendar says is the first day of Spring and I see snowflakes in the air-- the birds and animals are telling me that Spring IS here!