I have been looking around here (Jug Bay) for my FOY Osprey the last couple days, but did not see one until tonight at about 6:05pm.  Usually the first one of the season here is seen resting on one of the nest platforms along the river.  But this eve when I walked out of our house, I noticed a large bird in one of the big trees next to the house, looked up, and was pretty shocked to see an Osprey!  I've seen one in this tree before, but it is used very seldom by them since it is so close to the house.  It spooked and flew down to the river.

Things have slowed down dramatically at our feeders this week.  At least during the day.  I now need to bring them in at night to avoid turf wars among the coons, possums and skunks.  It seems every mammal has woke up from the winter slumber this week; I have also noticed quite a few fresh road kills.  So far this week I've only seen one opossum here, but we had 3 skunks at the feeders one night and 2 raccoons another night, plus one night we had all 3 species  scavenging for bird seed.  I had never heard a skunk before, but one let loose a dainty squeal on me one night when I surprised it - pretty cool!

Other notable changes.  This week many of the juncos around here left.  Hard to say if they are gone for good, but numbers dropped way down.  Ditto for the blackbird/grackle/cownbirds.  We are down to about 40-50 of them.  We still have lots of White-throated Sparrows (I counted 58 last night at our feeders), and we still have one Tree Sparrow coming to the feeders.  But the last two days I only saw the Tree Sparrow in late afternoon, rather than all day long like a week ago.  The Baltimore Oriole stills comes daily also, but now hardly ever feeds at mid day, and does not seem to stay around when she's not feeding - she disappears and we don't see her any more unless she is at the feeders.

Last night I heard the FOY Spring Peepers and they are calling again tonight!

Cheers- 
Jeff Shenot
Croom MD