Dozens of blackbirds were sitting on a lone, solitary tree on the edge of the road surrounded by several acres of farmland.  I guess it was a “convention.”  I spotted this from my car and was amazed.  They were watching all the cars pass by.  Nearby I made the first definite sighting of a red winged blackbird.  It is a little harder when they are sitting.  There is a small patch of color on their shoulders and their red can only be viewed when they are flying.  They come back to that marshland every year.  And every time I pass that area I look for them.

Three deer bounded across the road right in front of me coming from the large meadow.  They must have been holed up in the tract of woods adjacent to my property.  It was an unusual spot to see deer.  Though there were deer tracks in the snow in my driveway a few weeks ago.  In the eight years I have only seen two deer here.  The three deer looked like they were fawns not yet completely grown.  Hunting season was long past.  They were heading toward the farmland and the forest beyond.  I was just surprised to see them here so close to my property.  There are other animals in the vicinity but they usually stay out of our view.  The juxtaposition of animals with civilization has always fascinated me.  And we are on the edge of country.  You just never know what you are going to see.