Nature Notes: March Winding Down

The rufous-sided towhee was singing its little heart out in my pecan tree.

The second shot was in the middle of a song. The first shot was during a pause.

We had a frost warning last night but fortunately it stayed a few degrees above freezing.

It will be a miracle if we don't have a hard freeze before we make it past the risk, or that's what it will seem like. I think our average lost frost is mid April but sometimes we have a hard freeze in later April.

Although I will be sorry to see the azaleas hit by a freeze, I'm almost more worried about the trees which are leafing out so early this year.

I remember one year when the pecan tree was leafing out and the leaves were all killed by low temperatures in April. The tree did end up starting new leaves later but the pecans didn't do well that year.

In the shot above my dogwood is pictured overlapping with the oak tree branches. The shot below is my pecan tree.

The squirrels spend a lot of time in the pecan and oak trees at my house.

I know some people think of squirrels as pests but I like them.

My dogwood tree below is one of my favorites.

The male cardinal started chowing down on seeds I put out on my deck wall while I was still on my deck.

He stayed put while I snapped some shots. It made me think giving the birds treats to offset the cold morning was a good idea. Usually they fly off if I'm putting out food or changing water but I think the cold after all the warmth made the birds braver of eating with me near by.

This time of the year (although usually a little later) the way I let my bushes climb towards the trees pays off in a splashy show.

I don't know what the insect below is. The center green part of its body is 1/2 inch long so it's fairly small. UPDATE- Thanks to Michelle for identifying this as a young lacewing for me.

On a warmer day the sparrow below was taking a leisurely bath.

At the same time the towhee below was bathing in the other bath.

Although I see some American Robins year round, during warmer weather they come out of the trees and I see more of them.

The male cardinal was doing a pirouette in the cherry tree below.

The female cardinal below was splashing up a storm.

The sparrow below looked like it was posing all fluffed out.

The American Robin took a turn in the bath.

All of the shots for this week's nature notes were taken in my wild and crazy yard or on my deck. Click for the home of nature notes.