Signs of Spring

We got a break from the rain this weekend, so we took Leslie’s friend to Belfair and Theler Wetlands. It’s still a little too early to see many song birds, but the male Red-Winged Blackbirds were out flying their brightest colors,

male Red-Winged Blackbird

and for the first time this year a females have also shown up, looking quite smart themselves.

female Red-Winged Blackbird

There were the usual Canada Geese, Great Blue Herons and Song Sparrows, but the only shot that I really liked was this one of a female Goldeneye in flight

female Goldeneye

since I seldom get to see them doing anything but contentedly paddling around the marina. In fact, I didn’t even recognize the bird when it flew by in the distance because I couldn’t remember ever seeing the white wing patches before.

It still doesn’t quite feel like Spring, but we also managed to find a couple of mud-splotched Skunk Cabbage,

mud-splotched Skunk Cabbage

generally the first native harbinger of Spring. This one seemed to portray the dangers of being the first to venture forth.