They did not come!

  Something strange occurred to me today as I was out meandering about the hillside.  A slight drizzly rain tried to keep me inside but I was having no part of that.  I had to escape even if it was just to hike a bit in the yard.  My startling revelation?  They did not come.  They being the birds.  Normally at this time of year, the yard is filled with Indigo Buntings, Painted Buntings, Rosebreasted Grosbeaks, American Goldfinches and Cedar Waxwings.  Nary a one has made the stopover on their migration flight.  I had noticed that the feeders seemed a tad empty but the fact hit me when I noticed that the Nandina bushes were still holding their berries.  Any other year, these berries would have already been stripped from the bushes.  When they make their appearance, the Cedar Waxwings devour every berry in sight.  The Nandinas, Yaupons, and Black Gums never stand a chance!

  The lack of birds made me a bit sad.  I pondered if the ice storms had caught them unawares and did great damage to the flocks.  Perhaps the birds could not handle the frigid weather that hit all the way to the Coast. Then, again, perhaps they sensed the coming weather and flew further southward.  (I hope.)  If that is the case, then maybe, just maybe, the birds are behind schedule a bit and will be here in a few weeks.  I miss seeing their bright colors and hearing their calls.  Last year, a huge flock of Cedar Waxwings visited the Bayou and made quick work of every berry in sight!  The picture below shows a portion of the flock in the Black Gum tree.  An early morning fog nearly obscured them from my vision!

  Other than the missing migratory birds, the Bayou is alive with birds.  A goodly number are already nesting which assures me that spring is not far.  I found two Mourning Dove nests, the European Starling nest and an Eastern Bluebird nest as I ambled about the yard.  I am sure there are more that I did not discover since another rainstorm chases me indoors before I could search the entire area.  It seems that things are well on their way of being restored after the cold, cold winter.