EABL's, PIWA's, and TUVU's, oh my!

After a great dumping of snow brought March in, yesterday morning I found myself flinging my shovel aside to run for my binos and camera when a flock of Eastern Bluebirds (EABL) spontaneously materialized around me...

These two took turns as sentry while the other one preened...

There must have been over a hundred AMGO's (American Goldfinches) chattering and zoooping and potato-chipping away overhead in the trees when I noticed a tiny rogue picking low on a trunk in a very un-finch-like way.  It was this little Pine Warbler (PIWA) all bedecked in yellow spectacles and looking really damn cold...

This is the second PIWA I've seen here this winter, but thanks to my sister loaning me her old camera, I was able to actually get some better photos than I got of the last PIWA that came to visit...

The yard was a cacophony of cardinals, Purple Finches and chickadees all turned up to 11 and singing their "springs a'comin" songs.  The early-bird Hermit Thrush even made another appearance but was in no mood to be photographed.

The woodpeckers were not to be outdone - two Pileated's swooped through and I was almost scalped by a pair of Hairy's.  Then these first-of-the-year Turkey Vultures (TUVU) flew by and I almost went blind trying to get a picture of them as they cruised off into the sun...

Even though it's freezing rain now and I have both wood-stoves cranking, I was intoxicated by the sounds of spring in the 'back 40' yesterday.  I wonder when the woodcocks will show their little peenting faces...bring on spring!