THE SNOW BIRDS

Most of the snow has gone now.  These were taken the first day we had it.

We have been getting a lot of Dark-eyed Juncos.  They always arrive in the winter and leave in the spring.

I am surprised to see a Mourning Dove as they usually disappear in the winter.  This one has been visiting every day for a long time.

The snow had been four or five inches high on the rail, but I watched the little juncos, and other birds, slowly shuffle the snow away with their feet to expose the seed.  It was like they were dancing and it was a sight to behold. 

The Blue Jay arrived too late for the show.

The birds started arriving soon after I put the seed out.  The latest bag I bought contained mostly sunflower seeds, and it gets eaten quickly.

We also had an interesting visitor, one bird I had never seen in our garden before.  I didn't get a photo but the closest I came to identifying it was when I looked at a Black and White Warbler here.  It also looked like a junco and at first I was a little confused, thinking maybe its pigmentation had gone awry. I do wish I had my camera ready but the battery had died and I couldn't find my other one.  Hopefully it will come back again.  Otherwise the memory of it will have to do.

The dove looks like it is resting after a good feast, but with the snow coming down I wished it would get some shelter under the eaves.

Slowly these industrious little birds cleared the rail, and all that was left was this 'igloo' of sorts.  One little junco was burrowing into it, I daresay to find another cache of seed.

By the time they had finished, they had built their own igloo.

And after a while they had fashioned a very nice home for themselves.  Okay, so my imagination flew away with the feathers, but a Rembrandt I am not (the two birds on the left were borrowed from Pixabay).

My little friend here looked up and approved.

The sunflower feeder is silent, the birds finally left.

Squirrels have not been seen and must be staying warm in their nests.  If I was a squirrel I would be there too.

I have to say I did enjoy this snow, but then I didn't have to drive anywhere.  I wished all those who had to be out on the road a safe journey back home to their families.  

In winter

all the singing is in

the tops of the trees.

~Mary Oliver~

There is hardly any of this left now, two days of rain cleared most of it away, and there is more rain on the way.

Thanks for stopping by my friends and safe travels.