Backyard Birds: Spring 2026, Part 1

April arrives next week, yet winter has yet to fully relinquish its grip. We're riding a roller coaster of really high temps followed by several days of really cold temps. 40 degree temperature variations overnight are not uncommon. Some of our friends in Pennsylvania are simultaneously suffering from sunburn and frost bite. We run air-conditioning for a couple days then kick the heat on for a couple days. It'll be nice to have the temperatures settle into a sweet spot for a time.

And with Spring comes Backyard Bird Photos. Our backyard birds have been cooperative with more than a few posing long enough for me to focus and press the shutter. Here's our first bird-batch for 2026.

White-throated Sparrow

Carolina Chickadee

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Eastern Bluebird

Yellow Warbler or "Butter Butt"

Quick Personal Update

Karen and I are doing well. In April and May, several of our friends will bless us with the privilege of watching their dogs. Karen continues to sew for Newborns In Need. I recently returned from a trip to MMS for a candidate evaluation and have another trip planned to MMS later in April. I'm currently coaching five missionaries while overseeing two applications for service with MMS.

Over the next few weeks we hope to have a newsletter out and post more bird photos. I've been asked to feature some of my poetry and have had several poems and photos published in on-line journals recently. My sister and I have another photo/poem project in the works. It's just been too dark and cold these past few months for creativity. Sometimes you just gotta hunker down. And then un-hunker. WE could be reaching the un-hunker stage!