Today is supposed to be the first day in the 80s here and the Sun is taking over the sky from the clouds. I walk out on the deck to check out the yard and the woods.

The Winter was harsh. The blues did stop by to eat the winterberries and sit proudly on "their" bb box. There are now 4 fully equipped bb boxes out there, a downy woodpecker box on a tree, and the 2 nesting shelves under the deck.

The carolina wrens are singing. Mom has built her nest under the deck again--almost all leaves with a little cave dug out. Something must be in that little cave. The white throats are singing, they see me, and now start moving towards me for food. The cardinals are ready as is squirrely. The vultures, who have "nests" in the stone outcroppings, sit in the trees waking up. Mom groundhog is taking leaves down into her burrow. I know there are bald eagle chicks over on the lake. Its been a very good Winter for seeing eagles.

Things are good and I just know I will have TRES and BBs nesting for the first time this year.

Last week, a downy woodpecker hopped into a bb box and spent the night there. The next day I ckecked the box to see if she had a nest since she had already chewed 2 hole-guards up. I replaced them and she chewed on the third a bit too. Instead, there was a nearly complete chickadee nest in the same spot they used last year.

Things are looking very good.

Then it happened! Screee--eee-eeech-a scree-scree-scree, etc., etc., etc. I looked toward the screeching, got my camera, and caught his image. It was him--Mr. Sticks--the HOWR. He was 2 weeks early last year and 2 weeks earlier this year. The white throats are still here and haven't flown north yet. The hummers are yet to arrive. Mr. Sticks is here and happily checking out the bb boxes.

I thought to myself--its only Mr. Sticks though. I still have time. Ms. Sticks is probably well south of here.

Noooooooooooooo. Mr. Sticks flew to the top of the far bb house and flapped his little wings. He's flapping as he never flapped before. Then another little brown bird shows up to check out the house--its Ms. Sticks. She's supposed to be in Virginia--not here. What's she doing here already?

Then it came to me, Mr. Sticks must have already loaded that box with sticks, if he is showing Ms. Sticks around. Its not possible! He just showed up this morning. What do I have here--Super HOWR?

Spring is here. Now, if the blues show up in June as they usually do, there should be an empty bb box . . . . If I can just keep Mr. and Ms. Sticks busy on the far bb house . . . . If I an get the downy to leave the chickadees alone and use the downy box . . . . If I can get the dees back in their bb house . . . . If the TRES stop by for a look . . . .

Yes, Spring has arrived . . . .