Spring finally?

Well, it is overcast, windy and only 43 degrees (6.1 C) at 10:00 AM this Sunday morning, May 1. There are signs that spring is progressing, however. More shrubs and trees are showing green; the forsythia has a lot of yellow along the lower branches; day lilies and irises and tulip bulbs are thrusting up leaves; the bleeding heart is off to a strong start; some of the flowering ground covers look ready to blossom with the encouragement of a few more sunny days; and the lilac outside my bathroom has begun to spread leaves and is showing promise for blooms this year.

More and more types of birds are showing up, too.

Recent sightings:

Pileated woodpecker down the road a bit
Bluebird in a tree in the backyard
Grosbeaks (male and female) at the feeder
Cardinal (male) in the tree by the feeder
Lots of sand hill cranes in the fields across the road. (Mama could hear them the other day when I was on the deck talking with her on the phone.)
The usual suspects: robins, various woodpeckers, chickadees, goldfinches, house finches, nuthatches, titmice ...