It was only a week ago our yard was completely snow covered. The temperature then rose. A week ago we would have dozens of birds feeding on the ground, sometimes, at one time several cardinals, and flocks of slate covered juncos among others. Now we don’t see so many. Since most of the snow melted the birds must have more opportunities to find food. We do see many goldfinch come to our feeders. It is that time of year for them. About the beginning of spring they come in flocks. They love sunflower seeds and are now coming to the sock I hung up filled with suet.
Tags: bird feeding, birds, cardinal, cardinals, many goldfinch, melting of the snow, slate covered juncos, snow covered yard, spring, suet, sunflower seeds
Posted in animals, birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
I saw my first robin of the year. Spring is almost here. There were times the last few days I thought I saw one but this time its red breast was unmistakable. Yesterday, I saw a pileated woodpecker cross the road and alight on a branch. Across from my house across the street is a tree with many holes it it and I have, also, seen one there. I have also seen red bellied and downy woodpeckers on the same tree. I always keep my eyes open on it expecting to see another pileated woodpecker on it. But not yet.
Tags: bird-watching, birds, downy woodpecker, first robin of spring, Pileated Woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, robin, spring, tree with many holes in it
Posted in animals, birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
The ten day forecast is forties high every day. That is the first time in months. Spring is less than two weeks away. Maybe the weather has turned a corner. Now I can start inspecting my garden every day for the sign of the first flowers of spring. There is still quite a bit of snow on the ground. Let us see if it melts within ten days of this “heat wave.”
Tags: forties every day for ten days, garden, snow, spring, spring is around the corner, the first flowers of spring, weather
Posted in flowers, local, nature, seasons, time |
The birds stop feeding and disappear about an hour before dusk. They must roost somewhere for the night. That has been my observation. Even if there is birdseed on the ground they disappear till the next day. I notice that in the winter some of them seem to have more feathers, perhaps, for insulation from the cold temperatures. I just love watching birds. And if you can identify a new species, that is even better. Usually, though, I see the same birds. You never know. A bird I saw only a few times was the red breasted grosbeak and last year all a sudden I saw a flock of three outside my window feeding on the ground. In less than two months I will be seeing ruby-throated hummingbirds who have traveled a long distance to come to my nectar I have prepared for them-several thousand miles. I always await their arrival.
Tags: a seldom visitor, bird-watching, birds, birds roost, birdseed, nectar, pleasure identifying new birds, red breasted grosbeak, ruby throated hummingbirds, spring, the arrival of the first hummingbirds, winter
Posted in animals, birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
We did have a new bird come to our suet feeder–an hairy woodpecker. An hairy woodpecker looks just like a downy but bigger. We have seen them before but not recently. We got more snow last night. In fact, it was still snowing when I awoke. Spring is less than two weeks away. We have had snow on the ground for months. We are soon going in a spell (eight days) when it will be in the forties every day and even in the fifties one or two days. I wonder whether all the snow will melt during that period. We will see.
Tags: bird feeding, birds, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, snow, snow on the ground, spring, spring two weeks off, suet feeder, warm spell
Posted in birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
Before I know it the slate covered juncos will be gone. There is a reason they are, also, called “snow” birds. The snow will melt, the temperatures will rise and they they will migrate North and will not return till next year. I keep checking the ten day forecast and temperatures will hit the forties in a few days and gradually rise and spring will be here–now only three weeks away. Last I checked the daffodils were not poking their head out of the ground but I have not looked in a week. The blooming of the crocus and primrose are not far away and then I will have to make daily inspections for the next sign of spring. Spring is a time of rebirth.
Tags: birds, birds migrate, crocus, daffodils, primrose, slate covered juncos and their imminent migration, snow, snow birds, spring, Spring flowers, spring is three weeks away, spring rebirth
Posted in birds, flowers, local, nature, seasons, time |
Last night could have been the coldest night left to the waning winter: supposedly the temperature hit zero last night. I keep checking the ten day forecast and there seems to be a warming trend–temperatures in the thirties and forties. Not warm by any means but winter has only three weeks to go officially. In one day and one week the clock gets put an hour later and all of a sudden it will be light till seven o’clock. The warm weather is on its way. This winter seemed to last forever. There is an end in sight to the colder temperatures.
Tags: coldest night left this winter, daylight saving time, spring is just ahead, thirties and forties a warming trend, warm weather, winter, winter seemed to last forever
Posted in local, seasons, time |
Today is four weeks from spring. We are in the throes of a freeze. It will continue for, at least, ten more days. I never wanted it to get warm so desperately. It has been cold forever, it seems. I just can’t wait for the warmer weather to return.
Tags: cold freeze, countdown to Spring, I can't wait for warmer weather, spring, spring four weeks away, winter
Posted in local, nature, seasons, time |
I happen to glance to my left driving somewhere yesterday and spotted a big almost entirely white bird. When I got home I looked it up: it must have been a snowy owl. I had never seen one before. It was about two feet long as the description said in my bird book. That was the second unusual bird sighting in the last month. A few weeks before I saw a indigo bunting cross the road. Its purple was unmistakable. I had never seen one in the winter time.
Tags: bird book, bird-watching, birds, indigo bunting, indigo bunting in winter, purple bird, snowy owl, white bird, winter
Posted in birds, local, nature, seasons |
It is hard to imagine spring is less than four weeks away. The warmest it gets in the next ten days will be thirty-four degrees. That is the only time it will be above freezing. They are still predicting more snow. I do not want to leave the warmth of my house. As soon as the covering of the snow melts (as if it will ever) and that is how it feels right now, I will check to see if the daffodils are coming up. Those are the two spring flowers–daffodils and crocuses that come up first. Actually the primrose come up first but I am not sure any of them are left. It is too cold for even them.
Tags: cold freeze, crocuses, daffodils, extended freeze, first flowers of Spring, more snow, primrose, spring, spring less than four weeks away, warm house
Posted in flowers, local, nature, seasons, time |
Forty-five degrees. The warmest day in the next ten days. Spring is less than six weeks away. We still have to get through February and the cold and snow they keep forecasting. It is like that each year: the winter acts as if it will be here forever. But spring and the warmer weather is always around the corner.
Tags: February, spring, spring is less than six weeks away, winter, winter cold weather, winter snow
Posted in local, seasons, time |
There were two large four foot mounds of snow at the end of our driveway. We kept getting frequent small snow storms. Other areas on the East coast got slammed by Storm Juno–a foot and up. Some isolated areas two, three foot accompanied by high gusts of wind. Their storm was called a “blizzard”. Not here, though so I don’t want to complain too much. And they are calling for more snow. And frigid temperatures. January was one cold month.
Tags: blizzard, blizzards in East coast, cold temperatures in January, frigid temperatures, high winds, snow, snow storms, three foot of snow, winter
Posted in balance, local, nature, seasons |
