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Linda Walker's avatar

My magnolias are blooming! We had some high winds last night and today so there are petals everywhere!

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Louise Miller's avatar

The best!!!!!

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Doreen Frances's avatar

We have a chorus of songbirds outside my window: Red-Winged Blackbirds, Cardinals, and Chickadees. The Chipmunks have come back. But over the weekend, on a walk in the woods, I heard a symphony of wood frogs quacking away and peepers.

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Louise Miller's avatar

I just heard my first peeper chorus of the year this week!!! Chickadees are my bird of the year, and I see them everywhere. They are the sweetest!

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Louise Miller's avatar

Also I’m dreading seeing my chipmunks come back because I’m afraid they are going to dog up all my bulbs before they bloom!

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Katie Noah Gibson's avatar

So beautiful! I'm loving the witch hazel, too - and the snowdrops and birdsong. Yesterday I heard a killdeer! Spring is on the way.

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Louise Miller's avatar

I’ve never seen a killdeer!!! Exciting!!!

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Christy's avatar

The trill of the redwing blackbirds returned from their winter break is always my first sure sign of spring - and then of course, the peepers! My heart SOARS!

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Louise Miller's avatar

LOVING them!!!! We call their call the rusty screen door 😂 and OMG, Peepers essay coming SOON!!!!!!!!!!

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Julie Swann's avatar

Yes! I love it, too! I limit it to my area to help me identify birds and part of that is the ability to hear songs on that app. We have lots of flickers and at first I thought I was hearing canyon wrens. Ignorant w/out Merlin.

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Louise Miller's avatar

I just heard my first flicker of the season yesterday!

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Julie Swann's avatar

Thank you! That’s helpful, too. It was beautiful to see trees covered in snow (pine here) but not many birds singing until today-snow melting and sun out and heard familiar bird song again!

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Louise Miller's avatar

Do you ever use the Merlin app? I love to walk with the sound ID on, to learn the different songs. Yesterday I heard 20 different varieties of birdsong!such a difference a few weeks make.

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Julie Swann's avatar

Your post is such a beautiful reminder! Today everything is covered in snow here. I’m about to walk my dog in the woods and hope to be inspired by your writing and see the beauty instead of focusing on the anxiety in my mind.

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Louise Miller's avatar

If I’m super anxious, I’ll try to focus on one things on my walks, like how many different birds can I hear? I hope you had a wonderful walk!

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Ann DeMerlis's avatar

Thank you for this post. I love the “collective effervescence” of spring! I’m currently watching the ripening of the cherry blossoms and the rising daffodils in our neighborhood.

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Louise Miller's avatar

Collective effervescence! Beautiful!

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Jennifer S. Brown's avatar

Gorgeous photos!

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Gita's avatar

What a beautiful piece, Louise! I've been delighting in the subtle signs around our little suburban homestead, Three Dog Farm.! A few snowdrops are poking up and the Magnolia tree buds have swelled ever so slightly. The ducks are flocking to the pond, more than we've ever seen, and in the morning there are occasional wisps of birdsong! I'm reminding myself to take it slow and enjoy.

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Louise Miller's avatar

All so uplifting!!!

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Patricia Lane's avatar

This is just what I needed today, thank you Louise! :-)

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Louise Miller's avatar

🩷🌷🌿

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