Spring's black flies only bother me while I'm in clearings -- or on the water. (Lots of forest still here -- and only distant exposed brooks, where they are supposed to breed).
There's been a flurry of ducks my way this past week.
Scoters, goldeneye, and common mergansers (
Merganser male: black head, white body, smaller than a loon.
Merganser female: Rust-colored head with a "cowlick" crest).
The scoters were diving under the ice and, after fishing awhile,
napped: One on the water, one on the ice.
I get cold feet just watching! How do they do it?
(Update -- just 15 minutes later)
Our usual Phoebe just arrived at the porch railing, no doubt the male looking for a place to build his usual nest site. (It's too much work to discourage him -- I've tried).
Next, he'll be battling with a robin who likes to build at the same location. (Robins will destroy the phoebe's nest. So
for the underdog, I
will chase away the robin).
In a few days, we'll hear the repeated buzzy song
fee-bee? fee-bee! as he sings to attract a female (who likes the nest site -- and him).
Since Phoebes eat bugs, it's a sure sign of spring's arrival.