Spring here already?

Crocus sieberi “Firefly”

This morning I was making my rounds in the garden and found the first crocus of the year! I was not expecting it, but under the leaves it was peaking out. Just one blooming that was it. Counted 9 hellebores with buds, last weekend there were only 5 with buds.

We also had our first cook out of the year yesterday. Meg had invited some teachers over for a small party and since it was in the 60s I grilled barbeque chicken on the grill while everyone hung out on the woods deck. 

Playing with the new camera I caught this Downy Woodpecker above and White-breasted Nuthatch near the feeders.

One very tricky bird to photograph the Carolina Wren below, seems I did get it pretty good. The new camera is tricky to catch birds as they move around a lot and you have to get them in focus with the right lighting.  I must have missed dozens of birds including a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker which just recently became common at the suet feeders. I did get photos of the sapsucker, just nothing exciting.

Below is the bees at about 10 am today. The landing strip had 4 dead bees on it this morning, about usual for winter time. This photo shows a pollen laden bee and a dead bee, life in a mild winter in North Carolina.