Spring

 

mystery bird, any ideas? EDIT ?Eastern Phoebe?

This bird looks a lot like a junco but the white under the chin is wrong and the head is too dark plus it is tufted. It is robin sized and has a sharp beak.

 

Blown up

 

Maple Pots de Creme...yumm

 

Maple Pots de Creme
by Closet Cooking
http://closetcooking.blogspot.com/2009/03/maple-pots-de-creme.html
(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Bring the cream, maple syrup and salt to a simmer in a sauce pan.
2. Mix the egg yolks and vanilla in a large bowl.
3. Mix the cream mixture into the egg yolks a little at a time.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve.
5. Pour the mixture into 4 ramekins.
6. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill the baking dish with hot water until it come halfway up the ramekins.
7. Bake in a preheated 300F oven until set, about 50-60 minutes.
8. Remove from hot water bath and let cool to room temperature.

Hi Spring

The tiny species tulips and the early Ice Folly daffodils are blooming.

 

 

A rainy day at SERC

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center is another semi local place that is fun to wander. Yesterday I saw Black and Turkey Vultures, Eastern Bluebirds and heard a Barred Owl.

 

Bursting into bloom

It's a cool morning and the crocus are still tightly coiled. They open and close with the heat.

 

As the afternoon warms up they open up.

 

Now it's dark and I have Ice Folly daffodils that I cut and brought indoors, they will be open by tomorrow in the warm house. That holiday cactus is in bud for the first time since it was given to me. The tiny white blooms are Thai Basil that I brought home after having pho and am trying to root. The other thing waiting for maturity is the under ripe kiwi.

 

First day

 

Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary

http://www.centralmdaudubon.org/sanctuary.htm
 

This was the view where shortly 6 or so Timberdoodles were dancing tonight.

Other signs of spring...
An Eastern Bluebird exploring a blue bird box!
Spring Peepers and Wood Frogs heard in the distance

Also heard ...
White Throated Sparrows
Carolina Chickadees
Carolina Wrens
a Barred Owl
gulls
Canada Geese


Seen ...
Robins
Military tanker plane refueling smaller jets
Venus as a cresant through a spotting scope.

Felt ...
warm breezes
hard breathing (that is a hilly place)
mosquitoes biting (another sign of spring, sigh)

It was a gorgeous evening.

Early evidence of spring!

The snowdrops have been blooming since Feb 18, the crocuses opened March 5.