Snowbirds Arrive, Snowstorm to Follow

I have been waiting to see when the first Slate-Colored Junco would show up in our yard and it happened over the weekend. This bird is considered a harbinger of winter and so is also called a "snowbird."

A pair arrived and splashed in the birdbath, no doubt washing off the grime of their long trip south from the Canadian forests where they breed in summer.

My nature notes don't get a lot of page views, but I still like to share these indications of the changing seasons. And later today I will be looking for my snow shovel!