A pair of black ducks meander along a pond inlet just a few days ago.

A couple days ago while walking along an inlet on Woodbury Pond, we spied a couple loons swimming and diving. All of a sudden, one burst into a sprint. The bird did this for more than a quarter mile.

Springtime is approaching slowly in central Maine this year. Our usual mid-April birds are showing up only in small numbers. Even the usual locals like the robins are not showing up in the usual numbers. This downy woodpecker was in a tall, dead tree in the backyard and making noises like he was a much bigger bird with a big axe.

This yellow-bellied sapsucker was just outside our front door the other morning. She worked the entire length of this evergreen and I managed a reasonable image despite focusing through branches and diminished light.

While the remaining ice is slowly disappearing, the seasonal return of our favorite birds has begun.