Wordless Wednesday

Monarch Migration

The Monarch colonies at the overwintering sites in Mexico are breaking up and spring
migration is underway! Spring migration begins every March in a flurry. The monarchs are in a
race against time. They can't stay in Mexico any longer — but they can't
move north too quickly either. The timing of the monarch's spring
migration must be precise. Why do they go now, and how do they know when
to leave?

Interested in tracking their journey north? Follow along at Monarch Butterfly Journey North

Early Spring Sunrise

As the creeping dawn paled the inky blackness
to shades of gray;
from the east slivers of pale yellow
created Scherenschnitte of the bare trees.
The sun strengthened to light the long layers
of clouds with peach, orange, fuchsia.
High above in the bright pink sky
a river of birds flowed north.
Some still strong after a long night’s flight,
others straggled to keep up.
Rest was just beyond the horizon.

More used to appreciating sunset than sunrise, the drive to work was an unaccustomed pleasure.

There and back again

After the last day and a half of lashing rain and driving wind, the storm passed sometime in the night. I woke up this morning to a sunny 40 degree day. I was drinking coffee and walking the yard looking for storm damage when I heard "ol' Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody". I don't normally have White-throated Sparrows here on the mountain, so I crept around the side of the house to spy a small flock of assorted Sparrows and Juncos. They were picking through the leaf litter and flitting in and out of my arborvitae hedge. This flock will likely move on. But the Chipping Sparrows, American Tree Sparrows and my old friends the Juncos will be hard on their tails.