My Favorite Things through the Four Seasons: Spring

Spring 2024

John W. Garbutt- Class of 2019

I never really looked forward to spring being a lover of winter’s cooler air. Then I got into birding and in turn began paying attention to the natural world. I now look forward to the plant’s subtle signs they are awakening from their winter slumber, the behavioral changes of the resident birds, and for the arrival and passing through of neotropical migrants to our area.

Though this year’s spring seemed to begin in February, it was the earliest vernal equinox since 1896 as we entered spring at 10:06 PM on March 19^th. The select photos are some of my favorite things from spring 2024.

4/15/24- It was a gray and damp day with minimal bird activity, so I focused almost exclusively on the early spring flowers. Their color really popped on the fresh green background. Honeybee and spiderwort from Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge in Sherman.

4/15/24- Returning from Hagerman and stopping at Frisco Commons, I found many types of butterflies on what I believe is Chinese Privet. The Common Buckeye has always been one of my favorites.

4/21/24- I visited Bob Woodruff in Plano to look for early migrants and found a few such as the Eastern Kingbird. Many flycatchers were perched on the ragweed overlooking the flooded field as they hawked insects.

4/21/24- Eastern Phoebes were hunting along with the Kingbirds, Scissortails, and swallows at this spot at Bob Woodruff.

4/21/24- In spring, the ducks which overwinter in our waters depart for their northern breeding grounds. Though the resident Mallards are already with their first broods. A pair of Mallard ducklings at Bob Woodruff.