Subtle signs of spring

Snow has mostly melted as our first winter in Connecticut draws to an end. Despite freezing temperatures overnight we finally are seeing blue skies. After one snowstorm, a male Eastern Bluebird flew in to inspect one of the nest boxes:

A pair visited the other nest box after our last snowfall:

My photo of the female bluebird unintentionally  included a photobombing male Northern Flicker perching nearby:

The female bluebird preferred to watch from a branch, providing a nice view of her less conspicuous plumage:

So far I have not seen them bringing nesting materials to either nest box.

American Goldfinches flocked to the sunflower feeder:

Males are beginning to molt into their bright yellow breeding colors. A male (to the upper right above) shows a hint of yellow around its neck, while this male also shows a few black feathers emerging near its bill:

For comparison, here is a male I photographed in Illinois during the summer of 2017:

Tufted Titmice often carry away sunflower seeds to pry open in a more secluded location:

Black-capped Chickadees always cheer me up even when the snow is falling, although their eyes do not reflect much light and are nearly invisible amid black feathers:

An American Robin stopped at the platform to look for a snow-covered cherry:

Diamond Lake, just down the hill, is no longer iced over. No need to bundle up against the frigid wind as we walk the lane along the shore:

The leaves of the Rhododendron seem to have come back to life. Perhaps the flower buds have also survived the winter:

Sunsets have been to die for. This is the view from a bedroom window of our suite. The swimming pool cover is snow-free:

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Linking to:

Garden Affair

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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