I shouldn't have spoken
about spring yesterday, because this is what we got today. I do not mind it because I don’t have to drive, it looks beautiful and snow days always have lots of bird activity. Stay warm and be safe out there!
I know that not everybody
has a great time on snow days, especially when the routine involves driving, but I was so happy today to see everything getting covered by a blanket of thick, heavy snow. We got about a foot, and I am not sure how long it will stay, so I am relishing, forgive me. I put on my thermo bibs, snow boots and hat every time I went for refills, and I had the most glorious time tumbling around like a toddler. Snow days are always fun for photos, and today did not disappoint.
Today finally
we got some snow again, and I decided to take a break from the feeder break and put the cams out. It was still rather calm generally but there were many happy Cardinals. The entire family of the King and Queen of the Yard showed off. I counted four males and at least two females. The light was still murky but here are some of my favorites from today. Come good into Monday!
It was a day
with crazy weather day here in Michigan today. I only went out heavily bundled-up and was nervous to get on the ladder to replenish the peanut butter on the tree because it was so windy. There was good bird activity, and there is a Chickadee roosting in the Bluebird box tonight, but the light was also bad and everybody literally was out there trying to survive. Here are two photos from today though. A MoDo fighting off a Starling, and a Starling with an ice crown. These guys are so nuts they took baths today. It was so cold that the splashes froze on the lens and I had to de-freeze it several times. I hope you are all in a warm spot, good night! Hoping for snow and sun tomorrow!
Video: Winter has returned,
and the locals are not pleased 😬😆
Stay warm and come good into the weekend!
Despite the Starlings,
it was a super nice snow day, and today there was sun! Snow and sun are fantastic conditions for the cameras, and produce great photos and videos. Plus - lots of traffic! I was so happy because there was so little action in recent weeks. Here is a little potpourri. The Junco looked so unusual and cool with all the browns, I loved the two different Cardi ladies, and the Carolina Wren was back!
It is always funny how snow brings them all out. The Juncos love the area around the bird bath, and there is a large group foraging around there all day. They look so cute jumping back and forth to scratch up the snow. There are lots and lots of Goldfinches, and the Cardinal family ist huge, I counted seven individuals tonight.
Video: Snow day surprise!
I heard about Carolina Wrens in Michigan birdwatching groups but never saw one myself. Until today! What a fun surprise. I hope it sticks aropund for a bit and also checks out the other feeding stations.
The Christmas snow came two days late,
but the backyard was a beautiful winter wonderland earlier today. I love snow days because they provide a welcome break from the somewhat boring routine that is going on right now. Many birds were visiting, and it was exciting to look out the window. The Blue Jays, Starlings, MoDos and Finches dominated at the feeders, but there were some highlights as well. The Redbellied Woodpecker male with the funky forehead was back, and so was the female. He’s in the first two photos.
Video: Scenes from the Santa Stop
The yard has been quite busy today, with many birds (including a hawk earler) visiting the bird baths and feeders. Here is a fun little scene from the bath earlier, a gathering at the Santa Stop. With Goldfinches, House Finches, Bluebirds, Juncos and at the end an American Tree Sparrow. I love snow days.
Video: Snow days are fun
because frosty conditions make the birds flock to the feeders. It is of course looking especially pretty when the sun is shining too. All the pretty snow has pretty much melted already but here is a little visitor medley from earlier.
Video: Spa day for "Owlie"
I hung this feeder yesterday, it is made of sunflower seeds, peanuts, some fruit and I think thistle. It is a crowd pleaser, and it was hilarious to watch them give the "owl" a wellness treatment on this beautiful snow morning. The Birdsy camera got a bit confused over night because it thought there was an actual owl there too 😄
This morning
temperatures were at -18 °C (I was born and raised in Germany, and Fahrenheit does not make sense to me, sorry). It was frosty but the sun was shining, and the snow was beautiful. Snow and sun always make for nice, clear photos, and some visitors showed their “chocolate side” as we say in German 🙂
Snow day!
We got a lot of snow last night. I made Pelmeni, knitted and watched the cameras getting buried under snow. This morning, the yard was covered in about 12 inches of beautiful, fluffy snow. I shoveled the cameras and the bird bath free (they all made it like true champs!) and put out food. There is a bit of a feeding frenzy going on, so hopefully there will be some nice photos tonight.
And here’s Dasher. I had seen his tracks in the snow but wasn’t quite sure who could have made them :D
Stay warm, everyone!
Video: Sir Hoppy!
Sir Hoppy Swiftfoot, the resident snow bun, has been checking out the area around the bird bath more frequently recently. There is no seed there, and he does not seem to drink, so I am not sure why he likes the spot. But I love that he does :D The cam captured him during the day and at night.
I finally had some time
to go through photos, so today is a bit of a dump. I hope you enjoy :D First up - the Bluebirds! I usually have at least a pair around but when there’s lots of snow, the whole family comes over. They like to snack in groups or alone and will always check for dried mealworms.
More snow today!
And the Goldfinches were plenty. Some of them are already starting to get patches of brighter yellow, slowly transitioning to their mating plumage.
Snow bunnies!
The day greeted us with a beautiful thick layer of snow.
Many beaks and bird bellies got filled, and caches replenished. And I took the Christmas deco inside down. The holidays were fun but I am also ready for the new year.
(Blue Jay, Redbellied Woodpecker, House finch, MoDo, House Finch)
Bird traffic
has been quite slow during the holidays, but this is normal for this time of the year. Here are a couple of the visitors from snow day. (Blue Jay, House Finches, Whitebreasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Starling and Redbellied Woodpecker, Blackcapped Chickadee, House Finch and Goldfinch, Mourning Doves)
Along with the Starlings,
a group of Brownheaded Cowbirds has been coming recently. I am not sure I have seen them so late before, usually they arrive by spring and leave for the winter. Many people don’t like them because of their nesting behavior (they lay eggs in other birds’ nests and let them raise their young ones, often to the disadvantage of the original chicks), but I find them fascinating and also think they have the perfect bird shape.
