Carduelis tristis

Some of the very large number of American Goldfinches that hang around our feeders are beginning to show patches of the bright yellow feathers characteristic of their summer plumage. I take this as evidence that even the birds know that spring is coming. When there is an El Nino cooking in the Pacific, we usually get wetter/snowier winters, and precipitation this winter has been well above the recent average. But even the snow from two days ago has now completely melted off, so when Spring officially comes next week, I think we'll be ready.