We are in a drought as far as snow goes - I think I have mentioned that in a post or two. And it was really spring time temperatures today with lots of sunshine. But my biggest reason to think that spring is here is I watched a pair of red crossbills working on making a nest today. I was cutting down trees for next years wood, and when I shut off the chainsaw and started loading the blocks of wood, I spotted the pair picking up grass and even what looked like a feather then carry them up to a large branch on a pine tree. They worked at this about as long as I worked on loading the blocks of wood. When I went back after lunch to pile up the brush, I took my camera and binoculars to make sure they were in fact crossbills and watch them work. They are definitely making a nest. But this is the first part of February, don't they know it could get cold an snowy next week? Of course they have not laid any eggs yet, but it still seems kind of early to be making a nest. Maybe practice will make perfect. And the wild turkeys are in full mating mode as a pair was also near where I was loading blocks doing all kinds of ritual dancing around. The big rafter of turkeys we had just last week is starting to break up into smaller groups. And there seems to be quite a bit of fighting among the males and females.
Click to enlarge to see the crossbill on the female which has yellow versus red on the male.
Here she is gathering grasses to take to the nest.
Here is the male on the right and the female is on the left of the nest that is under construction.
I came up on this deer when I got back to the house. She looks like she is saying "where did you come from?"
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