Snow birds

We certainly did not get eight inches, more like five, I would say.  When I eventually went outside to knock the snow off the barkbutter, I found a disk of ice about a quarter inch thick.  If that had fallen as snow, it might have added another inch or so.  In the morning, the suet was all the birds could get to, because K later discovered the seed feeder was empty as well.  The brown thrasher took over the suet and pecked away the snow.  

Juncos showed up from wherever they go in warmer weather.  Pine warblers glowed in the diffuse light.  So did the cardinals.  In fact, all the colors seemed intense against the snow, even the downy woodpecker's little red chevron.  

Like the juncos, white throated sparrows foraged in the snow.  Myrtle warblers joined them when they couldn't get a turn at the suet.  Later, a song sparrow joined them.  I saw some kind of hawk a couple of times, once pursued by a crow.

A blue jay was disgusted with the snow cap on the barkbutter.  So was a mockingbird except it settled for suet.  A titmouse came to the same conclusion. A Carolina wren insisted on sharing the suet with the brown thrasher.  The female red bellied woodpecker was not sharing.  Eventually a bluebird appeared in the afternoon. 

Frozen gray slush mostly covered the creek.A little open water flowed next to the bulkhead and more below the dam.  The slush ice developed very Arctic-looking cracks.  As the open water widened in the afternoon, odd ripples and turbulence developed.  I don't know if it was just the water or critters in the water.  After lunch the overcast started to break apart letting sunshine through.  I decided I'd taken way too many pictures and retired.  It occurs to me that I didn't see a single mammal except the ones I live with.