Here is the little Carolina Wren from yesterday.
I hadn't seen any for a while and I thought they had moved on, until this little one turned up.
The male Cardinal was also a surprise visitor. I have seen him a few times, but he stays only long enough to check things out, and then he's gone. Usually a mate comes with him to do the ground work, but I haven't seen her yet. I read a while ago that she is the scout, the one who flies down first. He follows when he knows all is well.
Here he is again on the fence with one of the Dark-eyed juncos.
I find the Juncos very amusing. They scratch away at the snow with their feet to get at the seed.
The first indication they were there was when I observed snow flying upwards.
Another Mourning Dove was taking a rest in the tree on one of the higher branches.
The Black-capped Chickadee was next but it's a flitterer. It flits in, picks up a seed and immediately flits away, taking their prize into the cover of the trees. Survival instincts are strong in this one.
The next photo was taken on the day of the first snow (last Wednesday), and this another of the many Dark-eyed Juncos who visit every day at this time of the year. He and his fellow Juncos first appeared several weeks ago and they stay with us all winter.
Here you can see a bird's line of footprints. This was at the end of that first day of snow and is right underneath the door where we step outside.
The neighbor's chimney caught my attention for a minute or two. I saw the sun glinting off the icicles earlier. This doesn't quite pick up that incredible sparkle.
Here is the birdbath I turned into a piece of art the other day. We woke up again to more snow on 1-18-24. It snowed for most of the day.
We had one of the prettiest sunsets, with a deep red sky. It was a more vibrant color than I had seen in a long time.
I always seem to have more to share but I'll wait until next Tuesday where I will share another bird, with more to follow. I will be posting my usual recipe tomorrow.
Winter sunsets can sometimes be the best for colour.
ReplyDeleteLove the Northern Cardinal, it's a beautiful picture Denise, well done on them all.
It appears so Margaret :) Thank you, much appreciated.
DeleteThat is a gorgeous sunset and undoubtedly set off the snow nicely. Love your chilly birds too.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue, I am happy you enjoyed :)
DeleteSweet birds and beautiful sunset!
ReplyDeleteThank you Cloudia, happy you think so :)
Deletecan't believe they are still roaming around in the snow
ReplyDeleteThey are amazingly resilient :)
DeleteNow we know, the cardinal lets the lady go first and if no one eats her, he is safe to feed. Love that sunset and we had our first sunrise yesterday morning, the first in 2 solid weeks. which is very unusual here. also today is 39 which is the coldest this year and a record breaker for us... Beau might not get his ride, to cold to put the window down. I just love that first round adorable bird. for some reason round fat litle birds are just to cute. I have not seen any here.
ReplyDeleteThat’s about it Sandra and when they fluff their feathers, they are even more adorable :) That must have been a very welcome sight and so cold!
DeleteLovely photos of all of your birds, Denise. Great detail on the footprints in the snow. It looks like you got a lot. The sunsets have been on fire lately and you captured one beautifully. Happy Sunday!
ReplyDeleteThank you Martha Ellen, so very much appreciated. I hope you had a happy Sunday, ours was very nice :). Have a great week my friend!
DeleteLove seeing all your bird visitors. Cardinals have always been a favorite. The photo of the black capped chickadee is fantastic. Looks like you got plenty of snow there. Stay warm.
ReplyDeleteThat’s great Anne, so glad :) Thank you, you stay warm too :)
DeleteThe birds are so cute. I have never seen a cardinal over here..really gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you Angie, I agree, they are gorgeous :)
DeleteBeautiful collection of birds and photos. The sunset is lovely. Take care, have a great day and happy new week!
ReplyDeleteThank you Eileen, so glad you liked it :) and I wish you the same.
DeleteBeautiful capture of the sunset.
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda, so glad you liked it :)
DeleteYou describe the different habits of your garden birds so well. It must be fascinating to watch them. The snow looks deep and the red cardinal bird against the snow is a wonderful contrast. The sunset is spectacular. Have a good week and keep warm!
ReplyDeleteI have a close view of them from our patio door which is right off the family room. I can sit and watch them at length. Always fun, and thank you Linda :)
DeleteOur mourning doves are long gone and we rarely see a cardinal. Our junco's spend a lot of time on the ground picking up seed. Then the turkeys gone and clean up the rest.
ReplyDeleteOh I would love to have turkey visitors :)
DeleteWe get lots of juncos also. I had never noticed them until a couple years ago.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the cardinals, the female being the scout. I love cardinals in the winter. Such a splash of color.
I love your carolina wren. I don't know if we get them here.
Stay warm!!
Thank you Yogi, always interested in the birds from different areas. I am glad we get those that visit every year, and then that changes depending where we are in that year. You stay warm too :)
DeleteLovely birds
ReplyDeleteThank you Christine :)
DeleteLovely bird.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anne :)
DeleteWhat beautiful photographs of the birds!
ReplyDeleteSo happy you enjoyed them Pamela, thank you :)
Deletethe birds are very active. I often wonder how much we miss as our time watching is limited. People with a camera mounted outside seem to catch a lot of critters going by.
ReplyDeleteThey are! I need to set up my outdoor camera again :)
DeleteYou got quite a bit of snow.
ReplyDeleteWe certainly did :)
DeletePretty birds. I love seeing the mourning doves. We have had so many Robins the past few days, especially taking berries from the holly tree. I wish we had more snow here like you have. Ours is all gone and more rain coming I heard this week.
ReplyDeleteHi Betsy :) I haven’t seen any robins for a couple of months. I enjoy having them around. We will be having the same weather, with several days of rain in the coming week.
DeleteYou got some great shots of those sweet birds! Beautiful sunset! Looks like snow was the theme at your place and mine, too. Happy new week to you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ellen :) I think you got a lot more snow from the look of it. Happy new week to you too.
DeleteLovely pictures of the birds that visit you and that sunset is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you :) I love looking at the birds and have been enjoying our sunsets.
DeleteWhat a cute bird. But the red one, yeah, we never see those here in Europe, right? That's why it's so nice to see it in your message.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you enjoyed our cardinal :) No, not seen in Europe. Thanks Aritha!
DeleteJust amazing photos and birds.
ReplyDeleteHappy you enjoyed, thank you Diane :)
DeleteThe wren is cute, and that red cardinal is a beauty, but what always gets to my heart is the mourning doves. I see them often on my lawn, and they are such peaceful birds. You got quite a bit of snow. I'm glad you enjoy the winter months, Denise. So many seem to always long for spring when it comes.
ReplyDelete~Sheri
Hello Sheri, the mourning doves are a sweet bird. They have always been frequent visitors with only a temporary absence when the new deck was put in. I might sound a bit strange but I am not too fond of our humid summers. They were quite a shock when I first moved here. I love the butterflies it brings and the other hot-weather wildlife, but I can't stay out in it too long. That's not changed since the first year I lived here a long, long time ago :)
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