Black-throated Green Warbler

This photo was taken at Sabine Woods in April; but an exact copy (of the warbler, not photo) was seen at a private residence off CR 134 in Southern Taylor County in mid-September. © LgPacker

Stalking Green Heron

This immature Green Heron put on a show at the Lily Fest in San Angelo Saturday. He hopped from pad to pad. As it began to sink he’d hop to another. He was filling up on the little Mosquito Fish. © Lorie Black ,

Curve-billed Thrasher Attitude

You wouldn't look so happy either if your feathers made you itch. © LgPacker,

Wishing for a New Outfit

With feathers frayed and missing (especially around the eye and head) this adult thrasher will have to wait for the new feathers to grow in. © LgPacker

Newbie

Almost every feather is in place, lined in a beautiful buff color. And did you notice the eye? It's not orange. © LgPacker

Preening Again

Meanwhile, Mom's trying to smooth down the feathers and make them last a few days longer. © LgPacker

Curve-billed Thrasher

Raising kids causes frayed nerves, er, feathers.

Northern Cardinal Scolds

Still overseeing young, this male Cardinal rose to the top of his domain to see if I was friend or foe.

Yikes! I've Been Seen!

This Yellow-billed Cuckoo was out sunning himself after the little cool spell of last week and before he knew it; I had him in my sightes.

Act Like a Tree

He turned around and tried to blend into the tree.

Perfect Coloration

Photo Gallery: Migratory Birds Struggle with Wintry Spring

Weak and exhausted from their long journey, migratory birds are struggling to find enough food in Germany, where spring has yet to arrive. Large flocks have gathered in milder regions, where they are trying to find food to survive. Other flocks have simply flown south again. Here, cranes in the state of Hesse search for food in a field on March 28.

Here, geese fly over a field in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein in mid-March. This year's unusually long winter means many migratory birds have yet to reach their breeding grounds, choosing to stick around milder regions until the weather turns.

Enormous flocks of birds that German reports are calling "bird jams" have been spotted around the country, and authorities in Hesse have even closed certain hiking trails to keep humans from disturbing the weakened birds.

Cranes in a field in the northern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in mid-March. Conditions still aren't right for breeding due to the wintry spring weather.

Snow still covers the ground in many parts of the country, making it difficult to find both food and appropriate breeding grounds, according to Eric Neuling, an ornithologist at the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) in Berlin. Here, cranes in a cornfield in the state of Saxony-Anhalt