No morning shadow

The half way point from solstice to equinox dawned gray and wet.  A flurry of snow occurred around 11am, but ceased before I got to the camera.  Of all the groundhog / Candlemas / Imbolc folk wisdom, this version appeals to me most: "Legend has it that if [the Cailleach—the divine hag of Gaelic tradition—] wishes to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny, so she can gather plenty of firewood."  Does occasional sun in the afternoon count? 

Rain did not deter the female red bellied woodpecker.  This frustrated the downy woodpeckers. Gulls and pelicans fished frantically.  I saw a black back gull and a herring gull among the ring bills. Most of the flock were still brown with youth.  Several hawk chases occurred, all too fast for me.  Great blue herons watched the water but I never saw one catch anything.

A male towhee raided the sunflower seeds during lunch.  He didn't return when I had hands free for the camera.  A mob of starlings took over the suet next.  A Carolina wren poked through the bark butter mush.  The butterbutt guarded its suet while one starling discovered the bark butter dish.  A blue jay watch from the trees.  White throats were around all day. 

A owl began hooting around 1am.