Partly cloudy, windy, and a cool 69 degrees F at this early afternoon.  I guess we have to suffer with a bit more winter before spring reigns supreme.

Anne and I went out this morning to bird Sanibel Island.  We arrived at the Baily Tract at 7:30 in hopes of finding rail but only found the usual fowl.  Aid Monique confirmed her arrival at the condominium by text at 8:15 and we continued on to the Lighthouse Beach.  Getting out of the car I spotted a Magnificent Frigatebird overhead and called it out to Anne.  This was our first sighting of the year for this bird; we were thinking we would miss it.  We didn't see any Least Terns (still too early in the year but I was hopeful) but we did find a pair of Snowy Plover about a half mile west of the parking lot.  The tide was relatively high and we saw no other shorebirds on the beach.  A cold front passed through as we walked and a short shower dampened us.  This was not forecast.  The meteorologists, I believe, thought the air too dry to produce precipitation.  They were wrong but not by much.  Two ugly bands of clouds swept over the island and each brought only several minutes of rain before the sun broke through.  We made a quick auto run of the Ding Darling Refuge wildlife drive, but with the tide high there too we saw few birds before turning toward home to relieve Monique at Noon.

Mom & Dad Woods had enjoyed a quiet morning staying inside and out of the stormy weather.  Yesterday afternoon they had walked to the pool and Dad had swum.  Mom sunned.  Yesterday was only the second time she had walked to the pool since her injury.  Anne and I swam laps and we all chatted with neighbors before returning to the condo to make supper. 

Today's fresh coolness follows another fresher cold front that arrived last Friday.  Saturday was church day.  Anne took Dad to a Red Sox vs. Yankees spring training game on Sunday.  They dressed warmly.  I took Mom for a walk but the wind chased us back inside quickly.  On Monday it never reached 70 degrees and we skipped going to the pool.  The Davidsons stopped by for dessert and card playing that evening. 

So our time goes.  We are starting to gather our scattered belongings as we approach the beginning of our last week here.  Though we have suffered a bit of cabin fever, we can't complain at having avoided the much rougher weather in Pennsylvania so far this month.  I'm guessing there is a foot of snow in our driveway now and hoping next week will be warmer and it will melt away.  One can always hope. 

We'll have one day to visit the Everglades after Mary Helen arrives and hope the weather is good for that.  Our travel to Colorado and Wyoming this year could make the year's bird list large.  It would be nice to find a few more of the Florida specialties before we leave.  We picked up the Snail Kite and Scissor-tailed Kite earlier this week but still want the Caracara and Purple Gallinule.  We won't be able to go after the birds of extreme south Florida this year. 

I believe Mom and Dad have done well here this winter, despite Mom's fall.  I'm saddened to think this may be their last here; perhaps it will be possible for all of us to do it one more time.  We'll just have to see what the situation is next fall and if we can all make it happen.  With Mom and Dad we take each day at a time, we can't know what next year will bring.  We are thankful there have been so many good days.