Is Spring Springing?

Today is the Ides of March. The 15th. Halfway between 'March coming in like a lion' and 'leaving like a lamb.' So it was not a surprise that there are blooms on one of the trees. The first photo shows one of the maples 'blooming.' The surprise is that the first tree blooming is a maple (and not a Bradford pear) and that it is the only maple blooming. Guess we have a tree that just could not wait. My memory says that this lone maple is about 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule.
The morning of the Ides started out in the upper 60’s, so it was a great day to get some photos of the white-breasted nuthatch and the downy woodpecker. This female downy is noticeably larger than the other downies.
By dusk, the temperature had fallen by 20 degrees and it was raining. The forecast is for nearly three inches of rain with the last falling as measurable snow tomorrow night. On the Ides, March is a bit scysophrenic about being a lion or a lamb.