Outdoor Hour: A Year with the Birds

In our neck of the metropolis, Spring has totally sprung: I've got the fe-vah to prove it, and it is highly c o n t a g i o u s!  As of Monday, I revamped our entire school schedule to reflect the effects of this lovely burning passion for the Vernal Season we call Spring.  

Instead of busting a move with our core studies first thing in the ante meridian, we are getting out-and-about nearly every blessed new morn.  Hey!  We've only a few months of this kinda fun, before the sweltering summer sun beats down upon our wooly heads, ruining all the family-trekking fun, so we're going to have-at-it until then.

But, let's not think anything but verdant thoughts right now, um'kay?

For now, it's just we, the earth and the birds...

...and a California Poppy or few;

...a West Coast Painted Lady, lounging on our path;

...some yet-to-be-determined critter tracks found by the shoreline;

...a very lucky Ladybug;

...some mating Mallards--ducks are birds, right?!

...a very protective Red-Winged Blackbird of the male persuasion;

...same said Red-Winged Blackbird in flight--I suppose he figured out my sweet boy was a bigger threat than he and all his tough-guy chirping.

Oh! and I discovered a flock of Happy Campers, too--

a very rare and precious breed indeed!

So, has Spring yet sprung in your neck of the woods, fields, sticks, suburbs, or 'hoods?  Do you too get all feverish when the sun is brightly shining and the birds are waking the Vernal Equinox from its slumber with tender melodies?  Aren't Happy Campers the very best breed of babes?