Squirrels

Morning was very quiet with only a woodpecker visit.  The weather continued to be cloudy and hot for late December.  The sun got through occasionally.  I saw a squirrel leap from pine to sycamore.  It looked like the squirrel was testing a sycamore ball for edibility.  I scattered the free seed from Wild Birds Unlimited as directed but only attracted more squirrels. 

At lunchtime things got livelier.  Honeybees worked on the rosemary.  The downy woodpeckers were back.  Titmice joined chickadees and finches at the feeder.  A yellow rumped warbler took a turn at the suet, flashing its butterbutt. 

One squirrel showed a light patch of fur in the middle of its back.  I wonder if this will be a permanent marking so I can identify it?  Squirrels chased off a crow that was walking in the neighbors' yard.  In the afternoon I finally saw white throats and song sparrows. Buffleheads were out on the creek, along with geese and a female hooded merganser. 

Toward sunset I went out again to try to photograph some more buffleheads but there wasn't enough light.  The feral cat stalked a couple of doves but had no luck.  The clouds went pink but there weren't many egrets or cormorants flying home.  Later, after moonrise, the sky cleared.  And it was still warm. In fact, this day set a temperature record.