Hummingbirds (and more) are back!

Some showers during the night left everything a little wet this morning, but soon the sun was shining and the birds showed up at the bird feeders.  First it was a pair of rose-breasted grosbeaks, and later on today we saw two pairs of them fighting off other birds for space on the feeders.  I don't remember seeing any of these birds here before, so this was a morning surprise!

And while I was watching the grosbeaks, suddenly a hummingbird flew up to where their feeder SHOULD be!  I really didn't think they would be back for another couple of weeks, but I made a quick batch of hummingbird juice for their feeder, and they've been coming back all afternoon. (And they are still there now but they must be pretty chilly in our 40˚ evening.  He looks a little fluffed out!)

Also showing up at the BIRD feeders today was this black squirrel.  Red squirrels are kind of little and cute, gray squirrels are just...squirrels, but this black squirrel looked disturbingly like a rat.  But he never reached his way to the feeder while I was watching.  Then we bought a new "squirrel-proof" feeder today, so we'll see.  Now we just have to worry about the bears getting into the feeders.

And on the gardening front, the potatoes are now planted and the straw is strewn.  We got three kinds:  Kennebec, Red Pontiac, and Yukon Gold.

And the last two raised beds are finished and set in place.  Now we just need the dirt and a plan for what to plant.  Isn't that the most fun?  All that promise for good things to come!