By this time last year, the mid-Atlantic coast had seen several snows, with more to come. This was my back yard in early February:

By April, spring gripped the area. Snow melted into memory, but the cardinals stayed. I found this lovely fellow on one of my walks at First Landing State Park:

This year, I haven’t seen any snow. I also haven’t seen any cardinals. Perhaps both will make an appearance before spring.

(Ever wonder where Northern Cardinals get their brilliant hues? Check out this article.)