Word must have gotten out...

...that birdseed is once again available in the backyard.

I usually fill the bird feeders, 2 of them for now, every weekend.  With the bad weather we've been having, it was hard to get back to where the feeders are located.  The snow was either too deep or it was too icy.

I actually missed seeing the birds flying about, so I braved the wilds :) and hazardous walking conditions, and made my way out to the back and filled up the feeders.  I laughed at myself all the way.  I had a 40lb bag of bird seed on my back and was trying to keep my balance to keep from tipping over as I "high stepped" my way to the feeders.  Lord only knows what anyone who saw me must have thought.

After about 2 weeks, the usual suspects were there, flitting about, grabbing seeds and flying off again.  At week three, the Jays made an appearance, which prompted the previous posting.
Finally, there were so many birds flying about, I spent almost then entire day getting shots of them.  I was really surprised at some of those that showed up, for, birdseed?  But it was fun watching them all.

There was a waiting line for this feeder as the finches had taken all the spots.

As I think I mentioned in the post on the Blue Jays, I don't get to see much of them.  Even more elusive are the Cardinals.  It's like they know I want to get a picture of them and the purposely stay out of site.  I can hear them just fine, but can't spot them or get a clear shot of them.  They almost seem to mess with me in that when they do show themselves, I stand there at the window wondering if they'll stay until I can get a good picture.  Of course, when I raise my camera, poof!  They disappear.  So I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I probably would never get a really good picture of one.  That is, until now.

I think they may have either felt a little sorry for me or they were that hungry.

I'm going with the hunger...

Although I was able to get quite a few pictures of them, they always seemed to perch with a branch or something between them and me.

Then this little lady very nicely posed for a picture.

These are my favorites, they always are willing to pose for a picture...

They don't seem to be at all bashful.  If anything, it's almost like they see the camera and get closer and closer until...

I was really surprised by the crows.  They usually turn up their beaks at bird seed.

These pictures don't do them justice.  Their feathers are irridesent, blues and greens with a touch of red/purple that you can just make out when you see them up close and in person

The crows usually fly off the minute they spot anyone, so I was really surprised they stayed around even though they saw me.

And of course the wood doves made an apperance.

and the woodpeckers..

Hop, hop, hop

And I cannot forget the squirrels who go through so much to get at the birdseed.

Early spring? I think not!

In PA, winter seemed to have been slowly slipping away.  The days were a bit warmer and the nights not so cold.  I had even begun to see spots of grass through the several feet of snow left on the ground.


After snowing almost weekly, we had gone almost 2 weeks with nothing major.  Just a dusting if that much.  Seems that the groundhog may have been right.  People were actually putting shorts on and I was able to go outside with just a heavy sweater or sweatshirt on. 


The sun felt good on my face and people were coming outside to say hello.  Could it be that the winter hibernation was over?


No.  Not hardly.


After hitting 50 degrees on Sunday, I woke up Monday morning to more snow.

To make matters worse, the weatherman said we'd only get 2-3 inches.  HAH, try 6-9 inches.  All the spots of grass are now once again covered.  The rocks and wood that will be used to make the garden arbor are once again covered by yet another blanket of snow.

I saw a chipmunk who was probably tempted out of his slumber by all the warm weather.  He had popped out of his hiding place under the fire pit and I swear he had this look of shock or surprise by all the snow.  He'd hop a few paces, stop and shake the snow off and then continue on.  Where he was going I don't know, he disappeared into a thicket.  Someone else said they spotted a bear, who seemed a bit annoyed to find snow and nothing to eat.  He raided several garbage cans and people hope he's gone back to sleep.


When it's just finished snowing, and the trees seem to be outlined with snow, it almost looks like one of those puzzles where there's a pictures hiding within a picture.

As if you'd only need to look long and hard enough to find the picture within.  When the trees look like this, I find myself staring to see if something will reveal itself.


Then the wind picks up and away the snow flies.

As pretty as it all looks, I cannot wait for spring to start.

Outside my window

A familiar sound woke me up this morning.  A sound I hear often, but hardly get to see the source of.

So, after thinking about it, I crawled out of my nice warm bed to look out the window to see if I could see them, and there they were.  About 7 of them flying, gliding and hopping about.  Blue Jays.

As I said, I hear them all the time, but like the Cardinals, hardly see them.  When I do have a sighting, by the time I get my camera they're gone or hiding in the trees where it's hard to spot them and then they're gone.  It's almost like they're camera shy.  Summer can be especially frustrating as they hide behind the leaves.  But during the winter, with no leaves on the trees, you'd think it would be much easier.

This morning, after spotting them, I got myself downstairs, grabbed he camera and started taking shots through the window.  I didn't even stop to greet the dogs, which annoyed them so much they started howling.  I stopped shooting to give out quick greetings and pets and turned back to the window.

Here are the results...

I was so focused on the one Jay in the center of this next picture, I didn't see the other 2 until I uploaded the pictures...  The third Jay is at the very bottom of the picture, I only caught the very top of his head/crest.  :)

Then one perched up on the old burning barrel, I really need to get rid of that thing.  I wonder what it was that had his/her attention?

Then a squirrel decided to make an appearance...