Ice and snow

The wind dropped so the creek froze over.  House finches and white throated sparrows came for a sunflower seed breakfast.  A yellow rumped warbler and a downy woodpecker pecked suet.  A cardinal showed up late.  Broken cloud cover blocked sunshine.

When I got back from swimming, the overcast was complete.  A female ruby crowned kinglet was hopping around in the arbor vita by the driveway, and me without any kind of camera, not even a cell phone.  I hurried in for the camera but the bird was gone.  I could not figure out what it was plucking off the branches.  A half dozen gulls circled over the driveway, I don't know why. 

Lots of other birds enlivened lunch.  A male red bellied woodpecker paused briefly on the redwood.  A fox sparrow hunted on the bank below the pool.  A female redwing joined a female robin in drinking from the pool puddle which was frozen but apparently they got some water.  A pair of juncos appeared as did a titmouse.  White throats were still foraging and butterbutts still battling.  A pair each of finches, cardinals, and downy woodpeckers came to feed. 

I tossed out peanuts but squirrels got them all.  One squirrel had a chunk out of the side of its tail.  A crow buzzed the patio, apparently for fun.  The falling tide left a shelf of ice down by the dam.  At least four egrets were hanging out there, as they often do when it's cold.  Two great blue herons chased down the creek and a cormorant flew overhead.

Snow started falling around 4pm and was sticking thickly after an hour.  Cardinals, white throats, and warblers continued to stuff themselves.  A large patch of snow collected on the creek ice.  We're leaving the feeder unbricked, and the snow unblemished.  Anything that ventures out tonight is welcome.