“I’m ready for spring.”

So says the male goldfinch who is already beginning to molt his olive drab feathers for a lemon yellow neck ruff.

I’ve seen many such signs of spring in a walk around the yard over the weekend, cleaning up some of the downed branches and up-righting some shrubs and small trees. The forsythia, lilac and maple buds are full to bursting and even showing some green. I’m working on a little photo essay.

I photograph these birds through my windows, which can be tricky and doesn’t always produce the best results—especially after several weeks of snow. I clean my windows regularly inside and out to make sure the glass is clean, but I haven’t been able to get to the outside for at least two weeks. Looks like that’s in store for this weekend.