Sunday, April 4, 2010

April 4, 2010. Chevy Chase, Md. Easter Day.

Today on the phone I asked Suzanne if she attended sunrise service at her church. Her response was quick and adamant: "I have never attended Easter Sunday morning sunrise service in my life and I do not intend to start now. The Lutherans did not hold them and now that I am an Episcopalian, I just ignore the announcements." "Such a wise response", said I.

Eight years ago we installed two wood duck boxes, hoping to entice a pair of wood ducks to build their nests on our creek. Nothing doing. Some years the squirrels built their nest in the wood boxes, but at the end of Spring, Ken cleaned them out, all ready for next years. Today, Ken and Claussen saw a pair of wood ducks in the creek, right beside one of our boxes, so we are hoping they stay. Wood ducks are beautiful, perhaps the most beautiful of the ducks. It is exciting, because once a pair makes a nest in one spot, they will return every year.

A pair of Mallard Ducks have taken up residence in our pond. The Canada Geese are at the pond every now and then, but their usual spot for their nest shows no sign of a new nest. I am hoping that they have chosen another nesting spot, as the old nest is too visible. After four years of dead gosling, a new nest is in order.

We have seen more bluebirds today than on any other day at the farm. They are beautiful in their bright blue plumage. Every bluebird box has birds busily building their nests. Today at the feeders we have seen a Flicker pecking on the ground, many gold Finches, flocks of Tufted Titmouse, hundreds of bluebirds, several Slate Colored Juncos, lots of Chipping Sparrows and other birds that I could not identify.

As is our habit, we drove home on the back roads, and I started to count the flowering trees. I stopped at two hundred just because I got bored counting. But I loved seeing all the trees in bloom. It was a magnificent sight. Then we drove through Kenwood to find thousands of people walking the streets to enjoy the cherry blossoms and to take pictures. Once again, the sight was glorious. The perfect ending of a lovely Easter Sunday.

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