Melting

When I awoke, the rising sun had freckled the sky with pink clouds but by the time I had the camera, the light show was over.  A couple of hours of overcast ensued before the sky cleared.  The creek had re-iced overnight.  White throats searched for edibles on the ground.  They have no trouble flying and perching up in the trees but they want to eat on the ground.  Myrtle and pine warblers joined the hunt because the suet was nearly gone and so were the barkbutter balls.  Starlings claimed the last of the suet. 

At lunch I found the tux cat taking its leisure on the pool cover, soaking up the sun.   It was much warmer and the suet was gone so I replenished the barkbutter balls.  That caused the cat to make a quick exit.  It didn't take long for the blue jays to arrive.  Warblers got their share.  An oriole kept watch over her jelly from a perch in the trees.  The temperature nearly reached 50° and the birds were correspondingly less famished.  Snow lingered around and in the birdbath but the creek quickly melted.