We’ve had some well-needed rain. The cloud cover persisted all day except for a brief peek of sunshine late in the afternoon. No matter. Spring was going on in the yard full blast.

I planted two of these purchased from the Arboretum years ago and I can't remember what they are. I'll have to look them up, along with the weeds that are overtaking the yard already.

Courtship is a popular pastime. In the city, couples abound, holding hands, kissing on park benches. In my yard, this male house finch was trying to convince a female that he’s the right guy,

and she was listening for a while…

but then she was resisting…

and in the end seemed to have her doubts.

A robin grabbed a worm right out of the wet ground and then was not sure what he wanted to do with it.

A dark-eyed junco landed in the hawthorn without batting an eyelash. I’ve had one of those thorns go right through a heavy shoe sole. Juncos seemed a bit incongruous during last week’s string of 80-degree days since we associate juncos with winter around here, but they may not necessarily disappear completely until mid-May.

The flowering crab is already beyond full bloom and starting leaves.

A mourning dove forages on the ground under the feeder.

A lone common grackle hogged the sunflower seed feeder periodically and then checked out a bird bath.

The redbud here…

and there.

My little chickadee.

Even the scotch pine has spring fever.