This has been one of those "wait a minute" Vermont weather days - no matter what weather you didn't like, if you waited a minute there'd be another type of weather not to like.  We have had snow showers, sunshine, fog, wind and rain from showers to downpours.  No thunder and lightning, although Fred did say he thought he heard a rumble that sounded like thunder this afternoon, and no hail as far as I know.  Every time the sun comes out, the ground begins to steam (see above) and before things get dried out, there's more rain.  The temperature has remained barely in the 40s, and the north wind has kept it feeling very raw and unpleasant.

We saw this bird high up in a tree this morning, all hunched up against the weather, I guess.  At first we thought it was a partridge, but when we saw the pictures, decided it was more "quail like," and after checking our bird book, decided it might be a bob white.  Fred and Marie saw it as they were going in opposite directions - Marie going up their hill after her walk and Fred coming down their hill during his run, and at first they thought it was some sort of hawk.  It was in the tree for quite some time, long enough for Fred to get the camera and take a picture from our kitchen window.  I thought  it isn't sleek enough for a hawk, too round for a partridge that isn't fluffed out and drumming on a log, and as far as I know we don't have any quail here.  Perhaps someone who sees the pictures can tell us for sure what it is.  Click on the image to make it larger.

The Ice-Out flag is still upright and the clock is ticking.  Today's rain must have done some damage to the ice, but we don't think the contest is going to be over for at least a few days - but that's only a guess.  It's really hard to tell, even as we enter the final days of it.  We are keeping closer watch now, but there's no real excitement yet.  We're going to have at least a couple of nice days on Monday and Tuesday, so that could make a difference.  We'll keep you posted.  Fred posts a report every day on home page, and I'll post any developments here, as well.  FYI - the ice has gone out three times on May 1st, in 1996, 1996 and 2007.

I just went to the osprey web cam and caught the female just as she was laying her egg.  She is now protecting it from the weather after carefully relocating it in the nest.  The male came by for a little while, but he was being sort of klutsy on the edge of the nest and I think she told him to go get some take-out for supper!