Of course the only significance to two full moons in a month is what we label as a month. There was a patch of ice on the creek this morning. Early birds were downy woodpeckers, yellow rumped warblers, Carolina wrens, white throated sparrows, and blue jays. The male red bellied woodpecker had a try at the dish feeder which held frozen, dissolved bark butter balls. Then the bluebirds arrived.
It is certainly true that providing water draws birds just as well as providing food. I poured hot water over the ice in the birdbath and many of the birds took advantage.
In the late afternoon I noticed that a heron was having difficulty swallowing the fish it had caught. The process took quite some time. Around then some hoodies paddled past. I also saw what I think was a red throated loon. A flock of gulls came through like a circus, swirling over the creek.
Sunset was fiery red. Followed, of course, by moonrise.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Snow
When I left in the dark for a meeting, it was just misting, but when I started back the rain got heavier and began to make that clicking sound that I associate with freezing. While I sat (and sat and sat) in the doctor's waiting room, the snow came down fairly heavily, but did not stick to the ground. It did stick to my car, I discovered later. By the time I got out, near noon, it had tapered off. We had shorter and lighter flurries in the afternoon till around 3pm the clouds began to break apart, thanks to a cold wind.
The patio was full of juncos living up to their nickname, and hungry white throated sparows. Several titmice were raiding the seeds and the suet. A song sparrow discovered the suet but the butterbutt did its best to defend its property.
I learned that mallards will eat rotting fish. Hooded mergansers showed up with a female red breasted merganser who hung around while she groomed her feathers. A couple of ruddy ducks also paddled around the creek. A pelican flew by. A few cormorants and many gulls fished. At least five herons were scattered along the creek.
I got a glimpse of a blue jay in the cherry. Several doves huddled together on a branch. Downy woodpeckers came for their share of suet. Carolina wrens had a little of everything including the bark putter soup. They did their best to annoy the downy woodpecker. And then the red bellied woodpecker arrived and all the pests flew away.
Towards evening, I discovered the feral cat prowling along the water's edge.
The patio was full of juncos living up to their nickname, and hungry white throated sparows. Several titmice were raiding the seeds and the suet. A song sparrow discovered the suet but the butterbutt did its best to defend its property.
I learned that mallards will eat rotting fish. Hooded mergansers showed up with a female red breasted merganser who hung around while she groomed her feathers. A couple of ruddy ducks also paddled around the creek. A pelican flew by. A few cormorants and many gulls fished. At least five herons were scattered along the creek.
I got a glimpse of a blue jay in the cherry. Several doves huddled together on a branch. Downy woodpeckers came for their share of suet. Carolina wrens had a little of everything including the bark putter soup. They did their best to annoy the downy woodpecker. And then the red bellied woodpecker arrived and all the pests flew away.
Towards evening, I discovered the feral cat prowling along the water's edge.
Monday, January 29, 2018
Sunday, January 28, 2018
All day rain
No doubt we needed just such a slow, gentle rainfall, but It certainly made a gray day. There wasn't enough light for photos at breakfast. The female red bellied woodpecker was ready for suet. White throats were foraging along with a song sparrow. The yellow rumped warbler guarded the suet from smaller birds but the male downy ignored the warbler. The yellow patch on the warbler's head got much more visible when the bird was agitated.
And then there was a commotion downstream with gulls flying every which way. The riot spread upstream and eventually it became clear that they were feasting on the decaying fish. Ruddy ducks engaged in real fishing, as did herons.
The wren pair didn't mind that the bark butter balls were wet from the rain. Titmice came for seeds and suet. I saw a blue jay watching the feeders but it didn't come closer. The female downy came for her turn at the suet. The male pine warbler slipped in for some suet but the butterbutt always showed up to drive its cousin away. The squirrel with only half a tail got very wet for lack of that fur umbrella.
Around 4pm, I noticed there was fog over the lake. It slowly spread to the creek and mercifully hid the decaying fish. The gulls left at last.
And then there was a commotion downstream with gulls flying every which way. The riot spread upstream and eventually it became clear that they were feasting on the decaying fish. Ruddy ducks engaged in real fishing, as did herons.
The wren pair didn't mind that the bark butter balls were wet from the rain. Titmice came for seeds and suet. I saw a blue jay watching the feeders but it didn't come closer. The female downy came for her turn at the suet. The male pine warbler slipped in for some suet but the butterbutt always showed up to drive its cousin away. The squirrel with only half a tail got very wet for lack of that fur umbrella.
Around 4pm, I noticed there was fog over the lake. It slowly spread to the creek and mercifully hid the decaying fish. The gulls left at last.
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Warm wind
Morning was sunny and a male downy woodpecker took advantage of it to have some suet. A blue jay and a squirrel discovered that I had put out mealworms. Then a starling landed on the suet. When it left, a male pine warbler hopped on. It didn't take long for the yellow rumped warbler to chase the pine warbler away. The feral cat sauntered along the patio wall which ended bird watching for a while.
Schools of dead fish drifted downstream. Pelicans flew over the creek hoping to see a live fish. They dived but I didn't see any successful catches. Great blue herons also dodged dead fish as they watch for live fish. Buzzards too were frustrated. They wanted the dead fish but couldn't take them from the water. And they were unwilling to land on the mud where fish had been left by the retreating tide.
The female red bellied woodpecker took a turn on the suet. A mockingbird came for a drink from the birdbath. The kinglet showed up after the woodpecker was finished. He shared the suet with a titmouse.
That South wind caused the sky to cloud up in the afternoon. Buzzards soared and circled in large numbers. Turtles were out on their favorite log. But sunset was just gray.
Schools of dead fish drifted downstream. Pelicans flew over the creek hoping to see a live fish. They dived but I didn't see any successful catches. Great blue herons also dodged dead fish as they watch for live fish. Buzzards too were frustrated. They wanted the dead fish but couldn't take them from the water. And they were unwilling to land on the mud where fish had been left by the retreating tide.
The female red bellied woodpecker took a turn on the suet. A mockingbird came for a drink from the birdbath. The kinglet showed up after the woodpecker was finished. He shared the suet with a titmouse.
That South wind caused the sky to cloud up in the afternoon. Buzzards soared and circled in large numbers. Turtles were out on their favorite log. But sunset was just gray.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Frosty
When we got up, every surface had a rime of white. The birdbath was frozen and there was a partial skin of ice on the creek. White throated sparrows seemed to match the mulch. The Carolina wrens found the mealworm dish frosted like a fancy cocktail. Buffleheads got the water moving in the creek. Squirrels discovered there were mealworms in the dish.
But the day quickly warmed. The red bellied woodpecker female started in on the fresh block of suet K hung yesterday. I kept trying to get a picture of the buzzards circling low over the creek. The tide was very low and the dead fish were obvious. They looked like they would have been eating size if caught alive. About eight mallards snoozed on a floating dock downstream. I put out bark butter balls and a blue jay sang sweetly before making the usual raucous call and landing on the feeder.
The kinglet showed up for lunch. So did a downy woodpecker. In the afternoon, pelicans and herons flew over the creek, landing to catch living fish. After dark the moon was quite bright.
But the day quickly warmed. The red bellied woodpecker female started in on the fresh block of suet K hung yesterday. I kept trying to get a picture of the buzzards circling low over the creek. The tide was very low and the dead fish were obvious. They looked like they would have been eating size if caught alive. About eight mallards snoozed on a floating dock downstream. I put out bark butter balls and a blue jay sang sweetly before making the usual raucous call and landing on the feeder.
The kinglet showed up for lunch. So did a downy woodpecker. In the afternoon, pelicans and herons flew over the creek, landing to catch living fish. After dark the moon was quite bright.
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Chilly
Sunlit trees reflected in the still shaded creek ran like molten copper. A pine warbler was up early, possibly to avoid its bullying kin, the butterbutt.
Downy woodpeckers had to compete with the tiny kinglet. The red bellied woodpecker showed up a bit later. Finally a Carolina wren got a turn at the suet. White throats pecked at the patio, the sunflower seeds in the feeder, and the mealworms in the dish, but left the suet alone. A couple of blue jays also preferred the mealworms. 
A flock of buzzards haunted the dam. A great blue heron stalked along the bulkhead. Ripples revealed a bufflehead. Mallards were on hand as usual. One of the squirrels had noticeably bushier, white back-of-the-ears fur. 
Starlings and red winged blackbirds argued over the suet after scaring all the other birds off. I was gone all afternoon.Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Cooler
The cold front brought out the sun and normal winter temperatures. Woodpeckers - downy & red bellied - and the kinglet joined us for breakfast. Buffleheads and herons fished, but ignored the dead fish lining the far bank where the current deposited them. I wonder how this pulse of organic matter will affect the creek ecosystem. It certainly made the buzzards happy.
The pine and yellow rumped warblers came at lunch time to finish off the nubbin of suet. A titmouse helped. Juvenile ring billed gulls tried to fish like ducks. Turtles felt warm enough to haul out onto logs lining the lake. 
The light was going when I got home, but I could still identify white throats and a wren around the birdbath. Clouds made for a streaky sunset in shades from yellow to purple. The first quarter moon was overhead as gulls flew past.Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Rain
I left before dawn and got back around sunset. In that time it rained and then cleared. Sunrise turned clouds red and sunset made much lighter clouds rosy. I went out to look at the moon, no longer a crescent but not quite first quarter. There was just enough light to reveal buffleheads and geese on the creek. Monday, January 22, 2018
Cloudy
The red bellied woodpecker was back for breakfast. Carolina wrens were thirsty. White throats hunted unwary sunflower seeds in the mulch. A great blue heron haunted the dam outfall. Then I went off to the pool.
When I came home the ruby crowned kinglet was working on the suet. Titmice were after seeds. The butterbutt was bullying the kinglet. Juncos poked through the mulch. The wrens enjoyed the mealworms I finally put out. And a wren was willing to share with the kinglet while the butterbutt avoided the wren. And then the kinglet had a bath!
A great blue heron perched on the dock bench watching something in the water. A pelican flew downstream. The flock of buzzards circled again. A few cormorants and buffleheads fished.
When I came home the ruby crowned kinglet was working on the suet. Titmice were after seeds. The butterbutt was bullying the kinglet. Juncos poked through the mulch. The wrens enjoyed the mealworms I finally put out. And a wren was willing to share with the kinglet while the butterbutt avoided the wren. And then the kinglet had a bath!
A great blue heron perched on the dock bench watching something in the water. A pelican flew downstream. The flock of buzzards circled again. A few cormorants and buffleheads fished.
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Still warm
Today was much like yesterday and I spent too much time taking pictures. There were still plates of ice drifting on the creek. A hoodie drake floated past. A lone red breasted merganser also drifted with the current as she preened. Buffleheads fished all day long. I saw one pelican floating down by the dam outfall.
A white breasted nuthatch showed up early, spooked, and never came back. Juncos and a few white throats looked for food that had fallen into the mulch. The pair of Carolina wrens came and went throughout the day. The yellow rumped warbler continued to bully the pine warbler. A blue jay was thirsty. The kinglet mostly mooned me and only rarely showed his face.
The flock of robins was back. A female red winged blackbird followed a dove around the pool. Starlings kept sticking their greedy, yellow beaks into the suet. And I kept chasing them away. One starling even bullied a red wing off the suet. Downy and red bellied woodpeckers wanted suet as always. A flicker was visible briefly on a trunk.
A couple of squirrels courted. She was interested, but not quite ready. A large flock of buzzards swirled around each other for a minute, then disappeared. The cat appeared in the late afternoon but as usual the birds all left.
A white breasted nuthatch showed up early, spooked, and never came back. Juncos and a few white throats looked for food that had fallen into the mulch. The pair of Carolina wrens came and went throughout the day. The yellow rumped warbler continued to bully the pine warbler. A blue jay was thirsty. The kinglet mostly mooned me and only rarely showed his face.
The flock of robins was back. A female red winged blackbird followed a dove around the pool. Starlings kept sticking their greedy, yellow beaks into the suet. And I kept chasing them away. One starling even bullied a red wing off the suet. Downy and red bellied woodpeckers wanted suet as always. A flicker was visible briefly on a trunk.
A couple of squirrels courted. She was interested, but not quite ready. A large flock of buzzards swirled around each other for a minute, then disappeared. The cat appeared in the late afternoon but as usual the birds all left.
Saturday, January 20, 2018
False spring
I had no time to look out a window until a late lunch. The day was much warmer and a pine warbler was back. Coincidence? Anyway, a butterbutt soon bullied the pine warbler into leaving the suet. The kinglet got some suet too, undisturbed by the warring warbler as far as I could tell. Downy woodpeckers also took their turns on the suet. I was surprised that the suet in the feeder at the front of the house was untouched despite all the rough weather since I put it out.
A pale polypore fungus grew on the stump of a red cedar. The old conk under the oak survived the snow. Rosettes of bittercress were happy with the spongy ground. Something, perhaps snow or frozen seepage, tore moss of the retaining wall.
Buffleheads dived for fish. A pair of hoodies paddled upstream. Herons continued to argue and chase over creek bank territory. The sun and wind together made the water sparkle. Ice floes moved slowly downstream, catching on structures and mud flats. A red tailed hawk landed in one of the pines on our side of the creek. It seemed fascinated by something on the ground, but the songbirds were still wary. Later I caught it in flight.
A flock of robins proved to be the advance scouts for a much bigger flock of blackbirds, including cowbirds, red-winged blackbirds, and starlings The female red bellied woodpecker took over the suet. I got a glimpse of a possible eagle but the camera refused to focus. Late in the day, I saw a Carolina wren on the suet. And even later, when the light was fading, the feral cat came to bird watch. At sunset, a pale pink suffused thin clouds I had not noticed before. I went outside and tried to capture the crescent moon.
A pale polypore fungus grew on the stump of a red cedar. The old conk under the oak survived the snow. Rosettes of bittercress were happy with the spongy ground. Something, perhaps snow or frozen seepage, tore moss of the retaining wall.
Buffleheads dived for fish. A pair of hoodies paddled upstream. Herons continued to argue and chase over creek bank territory. The sun and wind together made the water sparkle. Ice floes moved slowly downstream, catching on structures and mud flats. A red tailed hawk landed in one of the pines on our side of the creek. It seemed fascinated by something on the ground, but the songbirds were still wary. Later I caught it in flight.
A flock of robins proved to be the advance scouts for a much bigger flock of blackbirds, including cowbirds, red-winged blackbirds, and starlings The female red bellied woodpecker took over the suet. I got a glimpse of a possible eagle but the camera refused to focus. Late in the day, I saw a Carolina wren on the suet. And even later, when the light was fading, the feral cat came to bird watch. At sunset, a pale pink suffused thin clouds I had not noticed before. I went outside and tried to capture the crescent moon.
Friday, January 19, 2018
Hawk
Everything refroze overnight but the day warmed up quickly. Still, the snow seemed disinclined to melt and the creek ice gave way very slowly. A red tailed hawk found a perch in the pines across the creek. Its presence did not seem to frighten the songbirds, and one flew quite close to it. But eventually it pounced on something in the grass. I think it missed.
Starlings briefly mobbed the suet. Carolina wrens and yellow rumped warblers and of course woodpeckers - red bellied and downy - also enjoyed suet. The pine warblers were missing though, as was the kinglet. A male cardinal ate some aged beauty berries. Juncos and white throated sparrows foraged on the ground and snow. A blue jay lurked in the trees. A pine warbler returned only to be bullied by a butterbutt and chased away.
Herons got very territorial in the afternoon. Ruddy ducks popped up all over the creek. A flock of robins blew through. I walked around to see the progress of melting and on my way back was scolded by a red bellied woodpecker. A bufflehead drake joined the ruddy ducks. Mallards did more tipping over than usual.
Starlings briefly mobbed the suet. Carolina wrens and yellow rumped warblers and of course woodpeckers - red bellied and downy - also enjoyed suet. The pine warblers were missing though, as was the kinglet. A male cardinal ate some aged beauty berries. Juncos and white throated sparrows foraged on the ground and snow. A blue jay lurked in the trees. A pine warbler returned only to be bullied by a butterbutt and chased away.
Herons got very territorial in the afternoon. Ruddy ducks popped up all over the creek. A flock of robins blew through. I walked around to see the progress of melting and on my way back was scolded by a red bellied woodpecker. A bufflehead drake joined the ruddy ducks. Mallards did more tipping over than usual.
Thursday, January 18, 2018
Bright day
Bright sun on snow was rough on photos. There were interesting squirrel and bird
tracks in the snow when I went out to open the feeder. The creek was iced again. A Carolina wren hopped right on the feeder as soon as I went back in the house. A female red bellied woodpecker headed for the suet but got away from my camera. It was followed by the male downy. Then the yellow rumped warblers got in the act. Titmice also came for breakfast. White throated sparrows werre around but in smaller numbers than before all this weather. Doves and juncos congregated in the snow. The butterbutt actually dislodged the downy from the suet.
Herons were thick in the open ribbons of water. The ring necked duck was back along with several ruddy ducks, all diving for food. A small flock of mallards threaded their way up one of the channels in the ice.
I had a meeting in the afternoon and the light was fading when I got home. Herons, buffleheads, hoodies, and ruddy ducks were still fishing.
Herons were thick in the open ribbons of water. The ring necked duck was back along with several ruddy ducks, all diving for food. A small flock of mallards threaded their way up one of the channels in the ice.
I had a meeting in the afternoon and the light was fading when I got home. Herons, buffleheads, hoodies, and ruddy ducks were still fishing.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
And snow
The sun shone briefly when I first got up, then overcast moved in. A Carolina wren tried every food source, tossing intact seeds to the ground as it looked for broken bits. A blue jay found the mealworms. A junco took over the seed feeder.
Robins landed in the trees, mostly. Then blackbirds arrived. They foraged under the pines across the creek for a while before heading over. Starlings mobbed the feeders. Fortunately, they didn't stay long.
Herons were busy in the creek, and I believe I saw buffleheads and possibly a ring necked duck. In the early morning the water had a thin, flexible skin of ice but it didn't last long.
I went off to a program at 2pm with not a flake and came out at 4pm to a snow-covered car, in which I crept home. Judging by flat surfaces, about an inch had fallen and it was still snowing. The only bird still venturing out of cover was a dove. And the creek was renewing its ice as the light faded.
Robins landed in the trees, mostly. Then blackbirds arrived. They foraged under the pines across the creek for a while before heading over. Starlings mobbed the feeders. Fortunately, they didn't stay long.
Herons were busy in the creek, and I believe I saw buffleheads and possibly a ring necked duck. In the early morning the water had a thin, flexible skin of ice but it didn't last long.
I went off to a program at 2pm with not a flake and came out at 4pm to a snow-covered car, in which I crept home. Judging by flat surfaces, about an inch had fallen and it was still snowing. The only bird still venturing out of cover was a dove. And the creek was renewing its ice as the light faded.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Fog
There was no ice, just mist at breakfast. It didn't stop the butterbutt. Carolina wrens wanted breakfast too. A downy woodpecker didn't like sharing the suet. A red bellied woodpecker ended their argument.
Female buffleheads were being impossible to photograph. Cormorants were also fishing. I saw a few hoodies.
Female buffleheads were being impossible to photograph. Cormorants were also fishing. I saw a few hoodies.
Monday, January 15, 2018
More ice
The ice extended farther and looked thicker under a gray sky. The birdbath refroze quickly, and then there was a short flurry of snow. The warblers, pine and yellow rumped, were undaunted. Downy woodpeckers contested possession of the suet with the warblers. A blue jay went for mealworms (but not the quinoa) and a titmouse for sunflower seeds. 
Juncos, Carolina wrens, and white throats scurried all around the patio. The kinglet slipped in and got some suet before the "big" warblers scared him away.
A turkey vulture perched up in a pine tree, its silhouette looking like Dracula. A great blue heron rested on the neighbors' dock. Another perched on one of the snags in the lake. The light was very poor in the morning and I got few decent photos. Then I was gone for the rest of the day. Sunday, January 14, 2018
Icy
When I got up, the creek had a skin of fresh ice on the shady side. Egrets lined the water along the dam where they got the morning sun and were sheltered from the Northwest wind. A Carolina wren was disappointed by the ice in the birdbath. I poured in hot, but that soon froze before a chickadee could get a drink. White throated sparrows were more hungry than thirsty. A song sparrow didn't hang around. Yellow rumped warblers and juncos scurried about. An olive gray warbler had me wondering but it was probably a much duller female pine warbler. The male was certainly in evidence. I glimpsed the kinglet but didn't get a photo.
Downy woodpeckers never visit the birdbath. In fact, I don't know if they can land on a horizontal surface or walk around. The female red bellied woodpecker took over on the suet. The feral cat reappeared after lunch and all the songbirds disappeared.
The ring necked duck was back. Buffleheads dived for fish and showed off their pink feet. Herons lurked in the shallows. I saw a female red breasted merganser. And a pelican flew down the creek and landed in the water. A cormorant caught something that look like a chunk of a baguette.
Downy woodpeckers never visit the birdbath. In fact, I don't know if they can land on a horizontal surface or walk around. The female red bellied woodpecker took over on the suet. The feral cat reappeared after lunch and all the songbirds disappeared.
The ring necked duck was back. Buffleheads dived for fish and showed off their pink feet. Herons lurked in the shallows. I saw a female red breasted merganser. And a pelican flew down the creek and landed in the water. A cormorant caught something that look like a chunk of a baguette.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Cold front
By morning the creek was free of ice and full of fishing birds. The ring necked duck brought friends. Ring billed gulls bobbed in the water. In the afternoon, I also saw red breasted mergansers and buffleheads. A few hoodies passed through. For the first time in weeks, there were cormorants.
The day began mild and damp and there was some sun. But the songbirds were eating as though they knew change was coming. The bluebirds were back and appreciated the fresh mealworms I stirred into the rain-and-quinoa porridge in the hanging dish. Warblers had to have their suet. Carolina wrens would eat anything, as long as it didn't have a husk. The kinglet joined them on the suet. A goldfinch got a drink.
Around 9am as I was leaving, a dark wall swept out of the Northwest on gusts of Arctic wind with a few spats of rain. The temperature continued to drop on the way down to freezing. But when I got home, the birds were still feasting. A flock of robins didn't linger. Song and white throated sparrows and juncos foraged in the mulch. I saw downy, pileated, and red bellied woodpeckers, though only the downy woodpeckers ate suet. The kinglet came back to the suet and this time was agitated enough to show off his ruby crown, just as I ran out of light for pictures.
The overcast seemed to be thinning around sunset, but not enough for there to be a visible sunset. It just got dark. And colder.
The day began mild and damp and there was some sun. But the songbirds were eating as though they knew change was coming. The bluebirds were back and appreciated the fresh mealworms I stirred into the rain-and-quinoa porridge in the hanging dish. Warblers had to have their suet. Carolina wrens would eat anything, as long as it didn't have a husk. The kinglet joined them on the suet. A goldfinch got a drink.
Around 9am as I was leaving, a dark wall swept out of the Northwest on gusts of Arctic wind with a few spats of rain. The temperature continued to drop on the way down to freezing. But when I got home, the birds were still feasting. A flock of robins didn't linger. Song and white throated sparrows and juncos foraged in the mulch. I saw downy, pileated, and red bellied woodpeckers, though only the downy woodpeckers ate suet. The kinglet came back to the suet and this time was agitated enough to show off his ruby crown, just as I ran out of light for pictures.
The overcast seemed to be thinning around sunset, but not enough for there to be a visible sunset. It just got dark. And colder.
Friday, January 12, 2018
Ice fog
The warmth continued and most of the snow melted overnight, except where it had been heaped up. But the creek ice was slower to melt, even after the passage of the ice-breaking fisherman yesterday. The far half was open water where it passed our yard, with an occasional ice floe drifting downstream. That was enough to bring out the ducks. Hoodies showed up right away. One was an immature male.
The kinglet returned. So did white throated sparrows which had been avoiding the feeder frenzy. Downy woodpeckers came for their suet. Pine and yellow rumped warblers, bluebirds, Carolina wrens, and juncos all visited in the morning.
A flock of ring-billed gulls swirled over the creek. Buzzards circled higher up. A male ring-necked duck paddled with the mergansers for a while. A few geese paid a brief visit. Then I saw what I believe to be a black duck. Since it was with the mallards it was easier to see it was different. A crow ate something (a fish?) on a dock piling while another complained. Four great blue herons joined the other fishing birds. One walked around on the ice and broke through. It was able to get out and clean up.
I went outside during a brief spell of sunshine but was chased back in by rain. After that, more rain came in waves. And when it fell on the ice, it turned to fog which blew around like a ghost. An ice jam developed downstream where the dam abuts the last dock. The light level declined and the camera refused to see what I saw.
A moth clung to the kitchen window after dark, but the temperature was predicted to go downhill and freeze tomorrow night. The moist Southwest wind would become a frigid gale from the Northwest, if the meteorologists were right.
The kinglet returned. So did white throated sparrows which had been avoiding the feeder frenzy. Downy woodpeckers came for their suet. Pine and yellow rumped warblers, bluebirds, Carolina wrens, and juncos all visited in the morning.
A flock of ring-billed gulls swirled over the creek. Buzzards circled higher up. A male ring-necked duck paddled with the mergansers for a while. A few geese paid a brief visit. Then I saw what I believe to be a black duck. Since it was with the mallards it was easier to see it was different. A crow ate something (a fish?) on a dock piling while another complained. Four great blue herons joined the other fishing birds. One walked around on the ice and broke through. It was able to get out and clean up.
I went outside during a brief spell of sunshine but was chased back in by rain. After that, more rain came in waves. And when it fell on the ice, it turned to fog which blew around like a ghost. An ice jam developed downstream where the dam abuts the last dock. The light level declined and the camera refused to see what I saw.
A moth clung to the kitchen window after dark, but the temperature was predicted to go downhill and freeze tomorrow night. The moist Southwest wind would become a frigid gale from the Northwest, if the meteorologists were right.
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Heat wave
When I got up, an ice fog hung over the frozen creek. I've been told that this is caused by the moist air getting chilled by the ice, not the ice subliming. Oh well. The sun shone in a hazy sky and there was little wind.
Bluebirds got ahead of me and were looking for the dish of food before I'd put it outside. Fortunately they checked back later and I counted five of them. Three kinds of woodpecker visited the suet - downy pileated and red bellied. The yellow rumped and pine warblers chased and fought over the suet. White throated sparrows and juncoes mostly stuck to sunflower seeds. Carolina wrens liked the dish of crumbs and worms.
Mama squirrel decided her insulation had failed during the cold snap and today she could finally get at leaves that had been under the snow. I got tired watching her climb the pine with mouthful after mouthful of leaves to stuff into the nest. Meanwhile, the short tailed squirrel ate from the dish full of hot pepper bark butter crumbs. But it didn't eat very much so maybe the pepper still worked.
Then a new bird showed up, a ruby-crowned kinglet. Although he didn't raise his ruby crest, one photo caught a bit of red, showing he was male. This was only the second time I've seen one in the yard, and the first was a couple of years ago.
An upstream neighbor took his boat out , breaking a path through the ice. I don't know if he was the same boater that gave up before he reached first dock beyond ours. I lost count of the number of buzzards hanging around. I assume they were on the lookout for dead fish. Quite a few great blue herons seemed to have the same idea. Clouds thickened in the afternoon as warm air continued to flow from the South. In the mid afternoon, I actually was outside without any coat, but it was kind of dank.
Bluebirds got ahead of me and were looking for the dish of food before I'd put it outside. Fortunately they checked back later and I counted five of them. Three kinds of woodpecker visited the suet - downy pileated and red bellied. The yellow rumped and pine warblers chased and fought over the suet. White throated sparrows and juncoes mostly stuck to sunflower seeds. Carolina wrens liked the dish of crumbs and worms.
Mama squirrel decided her insulation had failed during the cold snap and today she could finally get at leaves that had been under the snow. I got tired watching her climb the pine with mouthful after mouthful of leaves to stuff into the nest. Meanwhile, the short tailed squirrel ate from the dish full of hot pepper bark butter crumbs. But it didn't eat very much so maybe the pepper still worked.
Then a new bird showed up, a ruby-crowned kinglet. Although he didn't raise his ruby crest, one photo caught a bit of red, showing he was male. This was only the second time I've seen one in the yard, and the first was a couple of years ago.
An upstream neighbor took his boat out , breaking a path through the ice. I don't know if he was the same boater that gave up before he reached first dock beyond ours. I lost count of the number of buzzards hanging around. I assume they were on the lookout for dead fish. Quite a few great blue herons seemed to have the same idea. Clouds thickened in the afternoon as warm air continued to flow from the South. In the mid afternoon, I actually was outside without any coat, but it was kind of dank.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Frozen fish sticks?
We've had a lot of buzzards flying low and today they were perching in the trees. A lot of herons have lined the ribbon of open water as well. The newspaper reported that speckled trout and other fish in the Lynnhaven were cold-stunned and dying. My theory is that the birds were after these flash frozen fish.
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Dripping
We didn't freeze overnight so the melting continued. The snow slumped but still covered everywhere not shoveled. Icicles ran like faucets and then crashed. A pair of wrens shared breakfast while a female bluebird and several blue jays watched. A butterbutt wanted a share.
A heron prospected along the bulkhead. While I was out, I saw a brilliant orange bird I think was an oriole. Juncos and I arrived home at lunch time. The female red bellied woodpecker undertook to finish the suet. K replaced it with a fresh block.
Then I left again and about a quarter to four, I saw a brilliant sundog. It persisted until I got home and got the camera. By then the sun had dropped too low and all I got was sunset.Monday, January 8, 2018
Thawing
The temperature rose above freezing at last. Clumps of snow fell off trees and dripping roofs. The sky was hazy with cirrocumulus ridge clouds that became overcast. Before that I saw, briefly, a Kelvin–Helmholtz cloud.Both kinds of warblers two kinds of sparrow, blue jays,titmice, and Carolina wrens joined us for breakfast. Three kinds of woodpeckers visited in the morning: downy, red bellied, and pileated.
Snowbirds (juncos) still flitted through our winter wonderland, but the bluebird had not gone away after all. The female was back for lunch.
Mallards and herons prowled the melting edge of the creek. The shovelers mostly stayed out of sight.
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Still frozen
This must be a local record for the most consecutive hours below 32°F or 0°C. The snow did not melted significantly in four days but that may be a blessing for the plants it has insulated. But some were bent over and may not straighten when their load of snow is gone.
Birds were still very hungry in their need to keep warm. Song and white throated sparrows, blue jays, a male brown headed cowbird, titmice, Carolina wrens, pine and yellow rumped warblers, all came for Sunday brunch.
At the dam outfall, I noticed a gull on the edge of the ice. A pair of mallards and a couple of egrets joined it at the thin strip of ice-free water where the current flowed. Later on, herons hung out under the bulkhead further upstream. The newspaper reported the cold-stunned speckled trout were washing up on the banks of Lynnhaven tributaries, which may be what attracted the birds. Still later, I saw the first Northern Shoveler of the season, a drake, also paddling in the streamlet at the edge of the ice. One heron almost landed on the duck which chased it off to a smaller patch of water.
Birds were still very hungry in their need to keep warm. Song and white throated sparrows, blue jays, a male brown headed cowbird, titmice, Carolina wrens, pine and yellow rumped warblers, all came for Sunday brunch.
At the dam outfall, I noticed a gull on the edge of the ice. A pair of mallards and a couple of egrets joined it at the thin strip of ice-free water where the current flowed. Later on, herons hung out under the bulkhead further upstream. The newspaper reported the cold-stunned speckled trout were washing up on the banks of Lynnhaven tributaries, which may be what attracted the birds. Still later, I saw the first Northern Shoveler of the season, a drake, also paddling in the streamlet at the edge of the ice. One heron almost landed on the duck which chased it off to a smaller patch of water.
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Missed
A brown thrasher visited while I was changing batteries. Then, while I was cooking, two red bellied woodpeckers had a squabble on the trunk of a dogwood.. I thought several times that I had seen a white breasted nuthatch and finally I got one blurry photo.
Juncos, pine warblers, and titmice were everywhere. Downy woodpeckers were single-minded about suet. Blue jays gorged on bark butter balls. A flock of robins landed up in the trees but didn't stay. A song sparrow kept hunkering down into the snow and walked like its feet hurt. The white throated sparrows foraged on the far side of the pool rather than in the snow under the feeder. A butterbutt showed up hungry in the afternoon.
As the tide rose and fell, ice scraped against the barnacles on the pilings. I wonder if they can survive that and the cold air? Several buzzards took an interest in something on the creek, but drifted away. A red tailed hawk lurked up in the snowy pines across the creek. A surprising number of gulls scouted the frozen creek. In the late afternoon, a great blue heron stood on the ice under the bulkhead catching the setting sun.
Tempers were high even if the temperature wasn't. In addition to the red bellies that escaped my camera, a downy wood pecker reached its limit with a pine warbler on the suet and gave it a hard poke with its beak. After that the warbler was more cautions but continued to feed on the suet while the woodpecker did the same.
K had the garage open while shoveling and a Carolina wren got in. It had been there a while when we heard it, and it some strong persuasion to get it to go back out into the cold. (Of course, meanwhile the garage was getting colder.) When i came back inside, I could see a Carolina wren wolfing sunflower seeds and tolerating no competition. I wonder if it was the same one?
Juncos, pine warblers, and titmice were everywhere. Downy woodpeckers were single-minded about suet. Blue jays gorged on bark butter balls. A flock of robins landed up in the trees but didn't stay. A song sparrow kept hunkering down into the snow and walked like its feet hurt. The white throated sparrows foraged on the far side of the pool rather than in the snow under the feeder. A butterbutt showed up hungry in the afternoon.
As the tide rose and fell, ice scraped against the barnacles on the pilings. I wonder if they can survive that and the cold air? Several buzzards took an interest in something on the creek, but drifted away. A red tailed hawk lurked up in the snowy pines across the creek. A surprising number of gulls scouted the frozen creek. In the late afternoon, a great blue heron stood on the ice under the bulkhead catching the setting sun.
Tempers were high even if the temperature wasn't. In addition to the red bellies that escaped my camera, a downy wood pecker reached its limit with a pine warbler on the suet and gave it a hard poke with its beak. After that the warbler was more cautions but continued to feed on the suet while the woodpecker did the same.
K had the garage open while shoveling and a Carolina wren got in. It had been there a while when we heard it, and it some strong persuasion to get it to go back out into the cold. (Of course, meanwhile the garage was getting colder.) When i came back inside, I could see a Carolina wren wolfing sunflower seeds and tolerating no competition. I wonder if it was the same one?
Friday, January 5, 2018
Snowed in
Juncos, a song sparrow, doves, red bellied woodpeckers, pine warblers, white throats, and titmice feasted on the feeders and on the snow.
Giant icicles, twigs with snow caps, and snow drifts off the roof were impressive reminders of the storm. Blue sky and sunshine didn't faze the snow and ice.
In the afternoon two great blue herons and five great egrets sunned on the bank across the creek. Gulls flew over the thoroughly frozen creek, I don't know why.
About a week later I learned why the tides were so low during the storm. There was a low pressure center outside the mouth f the Chesapeake Bay sucking the water out. Plus the wind was from the Northwest pushing the water out, unlike a "Northeaster.
Giant icicles, twigs with snow caps, and snow drifts off the roof were impressive reminders of the storm. Blue sky and sunshine didn't faze the snow and ice.
In the afternoon two great blue herons and five great egrets sunned on the bank across the creek. Gulls flew over the thoroughly frozen creek, I don't know why.
About a week later I learned why the tides were so low during the storm. There was a low pressure center outside the mouth f the Chesapeake Bay sucking the water out. Plus the wind was from the Northwest pushing the water out, unlike a "Northeaster.
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Blizzard
The snow didn't stop till after 2pm. But the weather brought out the birds. A make towhee was hungry enough to visit the feeder. A song sparrow foraged on top of the snow for fallen seeds. Juncos also came to forage. A Carolina wren had some of everything.
A yellow rumped warbler pecked through the snow coating the suet. A downy woodpecker and a pine warbler also wanted suet. The a red belied woodpecker landed with his red head feathers all stuck in points like a punk rocker.
A mockingbird on the front patio looked miserable. It inspired me to put out a dish of bark butter balls, but the birds didn't notice.
The birds got aggressive over their food and there were several fights. The wrens and a pine warbler mostly got along, but the downy was not willing to share. Red wing blackbirds came at lunch time.
Then the snow stopped and we had a couple of hours of sunshine before sunset. Much later, the just past full moon rose. It lighted the snow enough for me to see, but not the camera. However I did catch it shining on icicles.
A yellow rumped warbler pecked through the snow coating the suet. A downy woodpecker and a pine warbler also wanted suet. The a red belied woodpecker landed with his red head feathers all stuck in points like a punk rocker.
A mockingbird on the front patio looked miserable. It inspired me to put out a dish of bark butter balls, but the birds didn't notice.
The birds got aggressive over their food and there were several fights. The wrens and a pine warbler mostly got along, but the downy was not willing to share. Red wing blackbirds came at lunch time.
Then the snow stopped and we had a couple of hours of sunshine before sunset. Much later, the just past full moon rose. It lighted the snow enough for me to see, but not the camera. However I did catch it shining on icicles.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Snow
The sky was white but there was intermittent sunshine at breakfast. A Carolina wren was eating everything in sight. White throats foraged cautiously under the bushes. Then a white breasted nuthatch landed on the suet and dug in as if it had heard the weather prediction.
After it left, a downy woodpecker took over, then a red bellied. Warblers, both pine and yellow rumped, fussed at each other. And the a female bluebird landed on the post, but the other birds had eaten all the bark butter balls. I put more out, but the bluebird never returned. Instead I made blue jays happy. Titmice finally showed up.
A great blue heron perched up in the pines. Later four egrets did the same. By then the sun had gone. The creek showed little sign of melting even though it was a little warmer than yesterday. There was a brief flurry of snow in the mid afternoon that turned the creek ice white though it did not stick anywhere else.
The real snow began well after dark but the main event with high winds as well as snow came in the middle of the night.
After it left, a downy woodpecker took over, then a red bellied. Warblers, both pine and yellow rumped, fussed at each other. And the a female bluebird landed on the post, but the other birds had eaten all the bark butter balls. I put more out, but the bluebird never returned. Instead I made blue jays happy. Titmice finally showed up.
A great blue heron perched up in the pines. Later four egrets did the same. By then the sun had gone. The creek showed little sign of melting even though it was a little warmer than yesterday. There was a brief flurry of snow in the mid afternoon that turned the creek ice white though it did not stick anywhere else.
The real snow began well after dark but the main event with high winds as well as snow came in the middle of the night.
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Ice
The creek never thawed except for a thin strip under the bulkhead where the current was strongest. And it was impossible to keep water in the birdbath. It was unfortunate that there was no insulating snow before these days of hard freeze.
We hustled fresh bark butter balls and hot water outside, and warblers arrived. A Carolina wren made the rounds of the yard. A red bellied woodpecker scolded K. White throated sparrows foraged in the mulch. Blue jays gobbled bark butter balls like popcorn. Downy woodpeckers hit the suet.
When I got home in the late afternoon herons and egrets fished along the ribbon of open water. Which bird got first choice of fishing spot was in doubt. A big hawk or young eagle flew over the creek. Cakes of ice, formed by the ups and downs of the tide, looked like dead fish. The sun's light cutting sideways through the atmosphere painted warm colors on birds and vegetation.
We hustled fresh bark butter balls and hot water outside, and warblers arrived. A Carolina wren made the rounds of the yard. A red bellied woodpecker scolded K. White throated sparrows foraged in the mulch. Blue jays gobbled bark butter balls like popcorn. Downy woodpeckers hit the suet.
When I got home in the late afternoon herons and egrets fished along the ribbon of open water. Which bird got first choice of fishing spot was in doubt. A big hawk or young eagle flew over the creek. Cakes of ice, formed by the ups and downs of the tide, looked like dead fish. The sun's light cutting sideways through the atmosphere painted warm colors on birds and vegetation.
Monday, January 1, 2018
Cold beauty
Here we go on another year. The great fishing continued and attracted even more birds, though only half the creek was open water. The one bird that didn't pose for me was a pelican. But the frigid North wind was more than all the sunshine could defeat. Every time I looked, the birdbath had frozen again. Puffy cumulus slid South quickly. The wind made small waves where the ice was gone.
Egrets lurked by the dam outfall and a pair of hoodies investigated. Red breasted mergansers were not far behind. A few buffleheads popped up. Crows chased off a hawk, probably red-tailed. A bald eagle made several visits to fish. A make kingfisher had lunch on the dock bench. Two great blue herons monitored the creek but stayed far from each other. Three egrets lined up under the bulkhead with one of the herons. Gulls swirled in the air over the schools of fish.
Pine and yellow rumped warblers fussed over the suet. White throats foraged beneath. Red bellied woodpeckers soon took over the suet. Later, downy woodpeckers got their share. Carolina wrens, as usual, poked into everything. Blur jays preferred the bark butter balls. A song sparrow was thirsty. A male towhee wanted seeds.
In the late afternoon, the feral cat prowled down the slope to the creek. Sunset painted the cumulus clouds. As the light faded, the birds kept fishing.
Egrets lurked by the dam outfall and a pair of hoodies investigated. Red breasted mergansers were not far behind. A few buffleheads popped up. Crows chased off a hawk, probably red-tailed. A bald eagle made several visits to fish. A make kingfisher had lunch on the dock bench. Two great blue herons monitored the creek but stayed far from each other. Three egrets lined up under the bulkhead with one of the herons. Gulls swirled in the air over the schools of fish.
Pine and yellow rumped warblers fussed over the suet. White throats foraged beneath. Red bellied woodpeckers soon took over the suet. Later, downy woodpeckers got their share. Carolina wrens, as usual, poked into everything. Blur jays preferred the bark butter balls. A song sparrow was thirsty. A male towhee wanted seeds.
In the late afternoon, the feral cat prowled down the slope to the creek. Sunset painted the cumulus clouds. As the light faded, the birds kept fishing.
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