March Blooms

While some parts of my country are experiencing warm March weather, on the West Coast it has been cooler than normal. Here are a few of the flowers blooming in my yard right now.  I also have a few seedlings growing on my kitchen windowsill,  a few more on top of my refrigerator, and many more waiting to be planted, once the weather warms up in April and May.   I also rejuvenated an old birdhouse by taking it apart, cutting off the rotten edges, reassembling it and giving it a fresh coat of paint. This makes it birdhouse number four hanging in my small backyard.  Only one of my houses is used every year without fail, and that is by the often dreaded house sparrow, but I am hoping  the chickadees will come back to nest in the birdhouse they used a couple of years ago.

Anemone Blanda

Crocus

Crocus

Crocus

Heather

Birdhouse Renovation

Finally Winter

Winter finally arrived in Southwest BC last week, and along with it snow, wind, and cold weather. I brought my container grown pieris  in to the garage, and tucked up my other containers right next to my patio doors. I hung the hummingbird feeder on the butterfly bush's  branches, only a few inches from the door. I have been bringing in the feeder at night, but even so the nectar has needed thawing out during the day. The cold weather has brought a large number of birds to my feeders, so I have been busy taking pictures of them all. I was really surprised to have a varied thrush visit my feeders for the first time.  He's a cute fellow even if he is a bit of a bully.

Pine Siskins

New Visitor, the Varied Thrush

Anna's Hummingbird carefully guarding the nearby feeder

Anna's Hummingbird

Varied Thrush

Song Sparrow

Junco in Pink Dawn Viburnum

Junco sitting on my sad looking pansies

Junco trying to stay warm

House Finch