Nature Notes: Acceleration mode

I'm starting to feel like someone has hit a button putting the natural world into acceleration mode.

Everywhere I look there is new growth, new flowers, new life flitting around.

I spotted a single bee today and is warm enough for them but since the temperatures will be dropping back down again later in the week, I hope too many bees don't risk the warm days and get zapped by the cold later.

The top shot is of a thrasher in a cherry tree, second and third shots are of my redbud tree.

The changes at Shelley Lake are noticeable with new growth beginning and a change in the animal population.

Most of the seagulls have left, probably going to wherever they breed. The geese and ducks aren't in the lake as much. They breed in the protected areas around the lake and I don't see as many of them this time of year although soon they'll be noisy. Later in spring I hear a lot more ducks and geese than I see.

It amuses me to watch the Canadian Geese going up and down the hill which is actually a dam.

More and more flowers are blooming in my garden and the scents are heavenly.

Although a lot of the trees are still bare, there are more and more springing to life.

We have almost another month before we will be past our average last frost date.

I kind of like the temperature swings we are having with a warm to hot day and then a chilly day but I hope the more tender plants don't get ahead of themselves. In particular I worry about my pecan tree but so far it has barely started forming new growth. Tulips and narcissus don't mind a little frost if it comes again.

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