Frosty and bright

There was no ice on the glassy creek but the bark pieces in the mulch were outlined with frost.  Two pairs of mallards came dabbling up the creek while cormorants flew over.  No songbirds appeared for breakfast.

The temperature rose through the morning, but still no songbirds appeared.  Ruddy ducks and geese were out on the creek which was still a mirror.  Egrets and the shadows of high fliers passed by. 

Finally, at lunch time the songbirds came out of their food stupor and visited.  In addition to the regulars, titmice, white throats, juncos, and a Carolina wren were on the feeder and the ground.  First a titmouse then the wren fiercely defended the feeder.  A female house finch used the birdbath to bathe.  The downy woodpeckers returned.  More ducks showed up including hooded mergansers.

Sunset gilded the Western sky while the crescent moon was just past zenith.