From this window - 4/25/12...

It's almost the end of April.  The bluebirds that were actually starting a nest a few days ago disappeared for two days during the cold spell we had.  I saw them briefly yesterday; the female was on top of the nest box and the male was on his perch in the crab apple tree.  I have not seen them today.  I did, however, see a female downy woodpecker investigating the nest box.  I'm still holding out for the bluebirds but I would take a pair of downy woodpeckers because I've never had woodpeckers nest in a box I could get to.  I also have not seen any hummingbirds this season.  My Dropmore Scarlet Honeysuckle is in full bloom, we have many large patches of native columbine and the Wiegelas are both starting to bloom.  All three plants are hummingbird favorites but I've not seen any so far.  We don't put out hummingbird feeders until late August because we have so many spring and summer blooming plants for them which leads me to my next subject.