Rising water

The weather wasn't as nice as hoped for but it did let up enough to get out for a walk...

and boy, has the water come up!  Here is the 'first bay'

and here is the log bay.  Time will tell if this is the start of the seasonal rising water or if this is just a short term event due to all the rain and melting snow due to the higher temperatures.

As for birds....well most noticeably were...

the Red-wing Blackbirds....now starting to stake out territories.

a few American Robins....

and lot's of Dark-eyed Junco.  Almost stepped on a Hairy Woodpecker....but of course when that happens, by the time I grab the camera the birds taken off.

This Fox Sparrow was scratching about....won't be seeing these larger, chunky sparrows much longer....at least until next fall.

A bit of a surprise was..

a pair of Great Blue Heron flying about.  At first I thought they were going to land in one of the 'eagle trees' but they circled about and this one landed on this piling....

the second thought it would try too, but ended up landing on the shore close by.  Every year I hope a few might start a heronry in the area, but so far no luck.  Rumor has it that there used to be one in this area before it was developed.

Also heard Killdeer today ~ of course with the water levels rising any birds out on the flats are now condensed into a smaller area so a better chance of seeing them.  Also heard a Ruffed Grouse drumming.  Spring is definitely in the air.