Spring-like

Apparently there was rain overnight because the birdbath was brim full.  White throats kicked mulch around it.  Daffodils bloomed.  I missed getting pictures of the blue jays and red belly but two mockingbirds came back for multiple visits.  The bossy myrtle warbler hung around.  A female brown headed cowbird joined house finches on the seed feeder.  A Carolina wren sat in a dogwood to groom itself. I think it was molting.  A titmouse was well fed.  A bluebird popped in for a barkbutter ball.  A starling lost its balance on the barkbutter hanger.  Even a white throat sampled the barkbutter balls.  Tiny puffs of cottony cumulus floated on a bright blue sky.  

The total rainfall for February was 5.87" versus a "normal" of 2.9".  But when added to the dry January, it looked less impressive, 7.51" versus a "normal" of 6.31". 

Warm

It was a warm day, mostly cloudy with a gusty breeze.  Blue jays finished off the barkbutter balls.  White throats foraged on the ground.  They were the subject of an article in the latest Scientific American.  Myrtle warblers aggressively defended their food.  A bluebird visited briefly.  Toward evening, darkness seemed to come early with thickening clouds. 

Flicker

High clouds looked like a blend of cirrus and contrails.  One tiny patch of snow remained, not enough for a snowball.  A mockingbird tried for some suet while a blue jay watched from the trees.  A male bluebird ate seeds and may have bathed.  A myrtle warbler tried to boss other birds.  Both brown headed and white breasted nuthatches visited the seed feeder.  They didn't seem to interact but arrived sequentially. 

I spotted a flicker on the trunk of the dogwood across the pool steps.  It came down and poked through the leaf litter.  A titmouse visited in the late afternoon for barkbutter balls as well as seeds.  

Water birds

The sunlight on the creek seemed a bit muted as though filtered by haze.  An early pine warbler tried to beat other birds to the food.  White throats were up early as well.  Blue jays discovered that I had refilled the barkbutter dish.  A myrtle warbler discovered the fresh jelly.  A mockingbird glowered at the seeds and a cardinal sampled the barkbutter balls. Then they switched sides.  

A mourning dove drank from the pool puddle and then foraged under the seed feeder.  The temperature rose into the upper 60s and the snow was reduced to one lump of shoveling.  The sky was cloudless though not a deep blue.  A Carolina wren ate suet.  Then a male red belly wanted suet.  An oriole visited the jelly.  

A pelican flew up the lake.  A flock of about ten hooded mergansers drifted around the dock.  The hoodies paddled off downstream which was when I got a count of them.  The drakes hadn't been visible before.  A female bufflehead popped to the surface and saw the other ducks disappearing.  She paddled after them as fast as she could, but soon resorted to flying.  Cormorants were silhouetted against the evening sky.  

Warm

The yellow cat made the pool cover stretch down so he could get a drink.  Then I told him to leave so the birds would come back.  There weren't many.  The warm air and sunshine must have lured them away.  A pine warbler was faithful to the suet.  White throats continued to poke at the shrinking patch of snow.  An egret posed on the dock.  A mockingbird and a bluebird ate seeds.  A Carolina wren ate suet.  One junco foraged under the feeders.  Snowmelt made the patio wet so I didn't venture out with fresh jelly and barkbutter balls.  .  

Hawk

I was late getting up so the two wrens eating suet weren't really early birds.  White throats still hunted seeds in the snow but the juncos were gone.  So was much of the snow.  The orioles were still enthusiastic about suet and jelly.  A bluebird came for seeds.  Four squirrels poked through the snow under the feeder.  Patches of ice floated on the creek but it was mainly open water. 

Competition at the feeders wasn't so fierce and a brown headed nuthatch got some seeds.  A pine warbler got some suet.  Some time after lunch, a hawk flew across the yard.  This time I saw its buff belly clearly but not in time to grab the camera.  There was no prey in sight and it was flying too high to be hunting around the feeders anyway.  I suspect the birds had known it was around and that's why they weren't.  Curiously, it was not pursued by crows.  

Thawing

Morning was sunny and fewer birds were hungry.  The orioles got up early for jelly even though the dish had icicles.  They also ate suet.  A myrtle warbler wanted suet too.  Juncos hunted seeds in the snow.  The temperature rose into the 40s, icicles crashed, snow patches shrank, and open water flowed along the bulkhead though ice still covered 3/4 of the creek.  

At lunch, I refilled the barkbutter dish and discovered there was still ice where the patio was in the shade.  Starlings, bluebirds, and blue jays flocked to the fresh barkbutter balls.  Brown headed cowbirds chose seeds.  Then a goldfinch visited the feeder.  A bluebird drank from the pool meltwater since the birdbath was buried by K's shoveling.  Squirrels reappeared.  White throats investigated the leaf litter as the snow disappeared.  A male red bellied woodpecker perched up in the oak.  I saw Canada geese and a great blue heron where the creek had melted and a pelican and a handful of ducks in flight.  The lake was not frozen but I didn't see anything moving.  

Snow bright

Juncos and white throats hunted seeds in the snow.   An oriole pecked snow from the suet.  Icicles sparkled and some hung from the jelly dish.  That did not deter the male oriole.  A pine warbler wanted suet but wouldn't challenge the orioles.  A myrtle warbler settled for the seed feeder.  The creek was still gray ice except where the current ran under the boatlift on the other bank.  Gusts of wind blew snow out of the pines.  The sun's glare off the snow made it hard to see my computer screen.  But the snow was still beautiful.  

A male red belly ate suet.  K shoveled paths to the feeder dishes so the birds got a fresh helping of barkbutter balls and jelly.  That brought blue jays.  Otherwise it was the same cast of birds as the last several days: bluebirds, a mockingbird, and a Carolina wren.  The temperature crept above freezing for a few hours. 

SNOW

In the early morning sunlight, the piles of snow on furniture looked 10" high. A drift blocked the North door and window but little snow caps on the feeders attested that the snow seemed to have fallen fairly straight.  Icicles showed that our attic insulation could be better.  The creek was coated with gray that I assume was a slush of snow and water that froze overnight.  Oddly, the lake did not appear to be fully iced over because I spotted a female hoodie paddling toward the dam. Pines were clotted with snow and even leafless trees had snow piled wherever there was a hollow space.  Clumps blew down and made craters in the snow.

A mixed flock of juncos and white throats hunted fallen seeds on top of the snow.  The orioles had cleared the jelly dish of snow but the barkbutter dish held a sculpture several inches high.  It dismayed a Carolina wren.  Starlings got at the suet which had become tipped up.  A myrtle warbler joined a starling.   House finches were greedy for seeds but bluebirds were bigger.  The white throats finally got up on the various perches.  Blue jays were around but didn't come close since there were no barkbutter balls.  A mockingbird visited the seed feeder. 

Clouds moved in after breakfast and some fresh snow fell in the late morning.  Wind gusts shook clumps from the trees that made craters where they landed.  The gusts also started blowing the snow around.  Two female cardinals argued.  Pine and myrtle warblers fought all day, as did starlings.  A brown headed nuthatch visited briefly.  Even juncos got up on the seed feeder.  The male oriole refused to be intimidated by a starling.  He put up with warblers but left when the female wanted a turn at the suet.  Bluebirds and house finches joined the ground crew. 

In the late afternoon the overcast broke apart, but the individual clouds looked rather threatening even with sunset tints.  What I thought was a bird turned out to be a drone.  Earlier, I think a pelican flew past but of course the iced-over creek drew no waterfowl.  The newspaper collected snow height reports from around the region.  The total precipitation for the first three weeks of February has been 5.64".

Snowfall

The birdbath was frozen.  Blue jays stoked up on barkbutter balls.  I was generous because there was no telling when I'd be able to put out more.  A goldfinch visited the seeds.  A pine warbler worked on the suet.  A junco prowling the patio was joined by another.  A Carolina wren ate seeds.  A female oriole wanted suet but was puzzled by the plastic cover.  The male pileated wasn't happy either.  A great blue heron stalked along the bulkhead.  I saw a brown thrasher under the porch chair but it scooted away too fast.  Bluebirds slept in and arrived mid-morning.  So did the male oriole who figured out the suet right away.  A myrtle warbler ate a barkbutter ball.  Seeds were the only thing that interested a brown headed nuthatch.  Barkbutter balls lured a female red belly.  More juncos arrived including a female.  Then a red winged blackbird appeared. 

A pelican flew over the creek.  The snow began about 12:30pm with almost invisible flakes.  At 27°, the snow didn't wet the patio, but built up first on tables and chairs. Birds ignored the snow and kept eating.  A white breasted nuthatch came for seeds.  The male downy got suet and a myrtle warbler got a barkbutter ball.  So did a bluebird. 

Flakes got bigger as the afternoon went on and the ground became white.  The snow created a fog effect, obscuring distances.  Juncos and white throats continued their seed hunt on the ground.  Something flipped the suet upright pleasing a warbler and a downy.  A bluebird, house finches, and a wren ate seeds as the snow fell.  Even a junco moved up to the seed feeder.  The orioles kept the snow off the jelly.  The nuthatches came back.  Bluebirds extracted barkbutter balls from under the snow.  A patch of ice formed beside the dock.  Three hoodies were barely discernible paddling along its edge.  There were other dark shapes I couldn't identify, especially as the light was dropping.   

Might-have-seens

The first thing I saw was the black cat getting a drink from the pool cover.  Not long after, the yellow cat passed through.  A myrtle warbler enjoyed jelly.  Now that the bird count was over, I finally saw mallards.  I wonder where they were hiding?  But I am grateful that a good assortment of birds braved the wind to be counted.  Two Carolina wrens shared the seed feeder.  A downy ate a barkbutter ball.  The female oriole ate jelly.  Blue jays gobbled all the barkbutter balls they could.  Bluebirds were less greedy.  A goldfinch watched the seed feeder and finally ventured onto the perch.  Another followed.  A mockingbird investigated the mountain mint stubble.  A -pelican flew up the creek.  An orange crowned warbler sampled the barkbutter balls and the suet.  I also saw the male oriole and a red bellied woodpecker. 

Daffodils

It was a lovely day to finish the GBBC, though a lot colder and still windy.  A female oriole greeted the dawn.  White throats got up on the furniture.  A pelican flew upstream over low tide.  A myrtle warbler was puffed up very round.  It came for a drink in the birdbath.  Bluebirds posed.  A solitary junco joined the white throats.  A squirrel tried to rob the seed feeder.  The female pileated woodpecker ignored a starling while eating suet. 

At lunch the suet was gone and the male pileated was disappointed.  A mockingbird wedged itself onto the seed feeder perch.  A wren poked into everything.  A ruddy duck floated by.  Then a small flock of hoodies went past in the opposite direction.  Nuthatches came for lunch, both kinds.  A downy woodpecker ate seeds but a red belly left in disgust.  Bluebirds ate seeds too.  A song sparrow showed up after months of not seeing one.  Then a red winged blackbird visited all by himself. 

Daffodil sprouts emerged from the mulch in several spots and one clump even had buds.  In the late afternoon, I saw two hoodies on the creek.  A large buff-colored bird flew past which I believe was a Cooper's hawk.  A great blue heron crossed the creek and four egrets flew North.  Cormorants began to head home.   

Gale

In the morning, the National Weather Service measured "Wind Speed S 36 G 46mph" with light rain.  The creek was empty of birds but a few made it to the feeders.  I saw a chickadee, two white throats, a pine and a myrtle warbler, a wren, two bluebirds, a downy, a blue jay, a mockingbird, two orioles, and a cardinal.  A squirrel seemed to wonder why I wasn't counting it. 

Before noon the rain strengthened, but then slacked off as we ate lunch.  The thermometer read 67° and the wind was, if anything, stronger.  But the birds were hungry.  I counted two bluebirds, two house finches, a junco, a blue jay, a white throat, a downy, a mockingbird, a red belly, two cardinals, a chickadee, an oriole, a wren, a starling, and the pileated pair.  

Around 4pm the wind started tearing up the clouds.  The shreds blew East as did the water in the creek.  No waterfowl appeared interested in the low water level.  Some bluebirds, a warbler, and a chipping sparrow were visible in the trees.  Lured out by the warm air, an ant and a midge walked on the window.  The setting sun lit up the fleeing clouds.  A pelican began passes over the creek but the light was failing.  Cormorants commuted home despite the wind. 

Gray day

The sky was overcast and the temperature rose.  I submitted two more checklists for the GBBC today.  I was glad to include some birds that don't show up every day.  Of course I bribed them with food.  Bluebirds repaid my generosity.  A myrtle warbler and blue jays were pleased too.  At lunch, a little flock of hoodies passed by several times pursuing fish.  I under-counted them, alas.  I also saw a pelican.  Both male and female orioles came for jelly.  White throats were joined by a junco.  A light rain began mid afternoon.  Toward evening ruddy ducks fished in a rain mist and cormorants flew to roost.  

 

Great Backyard Bird Count

We had a bright sunny, but much cooler, day to start the GBBC.  I filed two checklists, one for breakfast and one for lunch, because I had meetings in between.  The creek glowed at dawn.  Blue jays were early.  So were starlings.  A Carolina wren worked on the suet while an oriole female took a drink above.  Then they shared the suet.  A myrtle warbler watched.  A downy woodpecker wanted a turn with the suet.  White throats minded their own business on the ground.  At some point the suet cage chain came unhooked but the hook caught and kept it from falling.  Instead it swung madly with every movement of a bird.  A cormorant, a hoodie, and a ruddy duck fished on the creek.  A pine warbler got seeds.  

Three pelicans a-bathing

A dark, misty dawn turned to rain during breakfast.  The usual birds - cardinals, house finches, titmice, white throats - rushed to eat when the rain started.  A Carolina wren had seeds and suet.  Then I saw pelicans afloat on the creek in the rain.  Instead of fishing, they were ducking and flapping just like a songbird in the birdbath.  A cormorant and a hoodie investigated the commotion.  

The wind picked up and the mist cleared though the sky stayed gray.  A great blue heron stood on a dock post to preen its feathers which were sticking out every which way.  A male and a female oriole came to the suet.  The male didn't figure out right away how to get at the suet and when he did, he kicked off the female.  When he left she returned to the frustration of a waiting downy.  He paced vertically on the post, then gave up and ate seeds.  

A myrtle warbler was the next suet visitor.  Then the male pileated woodpecker arrived.  A female downy was frustrated this time.  The female pileated wanted a turn too but the male was too greedy.  I caught a glimpse of a kingfisher on the post where the heron had been.  A couple of crows landed in the redwood.  The rain came back and I gave up watching. 

Rain, cold rain

A sort of rain mist darkened the air.  Birds had to get by on seeds and suet.  Not many bothered.  At breakfast, a Carolina wren made the rounds.  Then a titmouse visited.  White throats ignored the rain.  So did a downy. 

Snow flurry

The birds got very excited as though they knew to expect snowflakes.  Of course it all melted and soon turned to rain.  

Gray day

We had rain overnight and into the morning.  The temperature was stuck in the low 40s.  After the rain stopped, it was mostly cloudy though there were moments of sun and the afternoon got windy.  At lunch, I put more BB balls out and blue jays arrived.  Bluebirds, warblers, and nuthatches were already busy with seeds and suet.  White throats picked up what fell.  

Peek-a-boo sun

At first, surfaces were still wet from yesterday's rain but the air was warmer.  Birds showed up in waves, bluebirds, two kinds of nuthatch, two kinds of woodpecker, and two kinds of warbler.  There were some disputes over possession of the seed feeder perch.  White throats ran around as usual.  Starlings didn't give up on the suet but they had a hard time eating any.  A Carolina wren had no problem.  Every once in a while, sunshine got through the clouds. A bird climbed the pine trunk but flew just as I clicked the shutter.  I thought it might be a brown creeper but I can't be sure from the blurred photo.  Two Carolina wrens split up, one to the seeds and the other to the suet.  

A pelican glided in low over the creek and then swooped up to land on the boathouse.  Meanwhile a crow prospected along the shoreline.  A great blue heron fished below the dam.  I caught another pelican flying downstream.  Ruddy ducks fished in the middle of the creek.  They and buffleheads seem to avoid going close to either shore, unlike hoodies.  

Dismal day

The rain at breakfast gave way to gray gloom at lunch.  Afternoon was dark and wet.  Birds came for seeds and suet but the rain eliminated barkbutter and jelly.  A junco joined the white throats.  A mockingbird took a look around and left.  Bluebirds grabbed some seeds and headed for the trees.  A downy woodpecker hung beneath the suet to eat and the wren leaned in from the side.  The myrtle warbler continued to hover, frantically flapping, below the suet to peck at it.

Sunshine

The sun shone on drips from the overnight rain.  A brown headed nuthatch rose early for seeds.  A myrtle warbler surveyed the choices from the top of the post.  Then the male red belly arrived to eat suet.  His red head was very shiny in the slanting sunlight.  

At lunch, I put out a fresh helping of barkbutter balls.  Bluebirds had a bit of everything except jelly but blue jays were loyal to the BB balls.  A few ruddy ducks  and female hoodies fished on the creek.  A myrtle warbler tried to hover under the suet.  It was thirsty work.  In fact, the bird needed a bath.  

Rain

It was a dark and stormy morning.  I saw lightning and heard thunder,  Birds visited when the rain slackened, then fled when the next wave poured down.  A myrtle warbler paused on the chair below the steps.  The male downy was sheltered by the suet he was eating.  A Carolina wren looked for nibbles on top of the suet but the plastic stopped that.  White throats poked through the wet mulch.  A pine warbler was also puzzled by the plastic barrier on the suet.  Raindrops ornamented bare branches.  The wren figured out how to reach the suet.  The male red belly spooked when he got a drenching by landing on top of the suet.  A brown headed ninja nuthatch made off with a seed under a finch's beak. 

Gloomy gray

Because of the pesky starlings, we hung the suet horizontally with the plastic packaging still on the upper side.  A pine warbler soon figured it out.  A brown headed nuthatch only cared about seeds anyway.  I spotted the male red bellied woodpecker in the trees.  Expecting rain, I did not refill the barkbutter dish which disappointed a myrtle warbler.  A junco hopped around the patio.  Bluebirds ate seeds since there was nothing in the barkbutter dish.  The male red belly figured out the suet.  Alas, so did a starling.  A white breasted nuthatch was content with seeds.  The starling brought friends including a female cowbird and a red-winged blackbird.  A Carolina wren took a turn with the seeds.  A downy enjoyed the suet.  White throats hunted fallen seeds.  A goldfinch got a drink and then hung out on the seed feeder with another.  One of them was curious about the suet.  The other attempted to bully a titmouse but the titmouse just sneaked up behind.  A very little rain spattered the window.  There were ruddy ducks on the creek but the light was too bad and they just blended in with the gray water.  

Springlike

Creek reflections at breakfast shimmered with light bouncing off the trees before the sun was high enough to shine on the water.  The female red belly got an early helping of seeds.  A mockingbird arrived early enough to get some barkbutter balls.  A downy tucked into the suet.  The temperature rose into the low 70s though there was a definite windchill.  Despite the warmth, we had sunshine.  White throats foraged.  Titmice visited all the feeders but by then the suet cage was empty.  

I went outside but didn't stay long because of the wind.  A myrtle warbler posed on an oak limb.  I could hear a woodpecker scolding.  The crescent moon had risen above the trees.  I saw pelicans and a kingfisher, but only got pictures of ruddy ducks, one hoodie drake, and a cormorant.  Bluebirds  stayed in the trees till I went inside.  

A male red belly wanted barkbutter balls and displayed his red belly while hanging on the feeder.   A starling tried to dislodge him but failed.  A male oriole found the jelly.  A pine warbler got a turn with the barkbutter balls.  Red-winged blackbirds ate seeds and BB balls.  On the front patio, the hanging potted plant that blooms in the winter was covered with yellow flowers. 

Foggy morning

The creek was flat with only muted colors to reflect.  A myrtle warbler blended into the mist.  A downy came for seeds.  The fog slowly dissipated and the rest of the day was sunny.  Blue jays and starlings gobbled multiple barkbutter balls while bluebirds ate one at a time.  The red bellied woodpecker was so quick I think it mus have just taken one.  White throats were busy. 

 

Flicker

A red-winged blackbird visited with the starlings.   His back was still spotted so I suspect he was hatched last Spring.  I also saw a junco scurrying around among the white throats. A white wall of cloud stretched across the sky in the North.  It slowly slid North and disappeared.  There was enough periods of sunshine that if we had groundhogs and one had stuck its head above ground, It would probably have seen a shadow.   A few blue jays and warblers came for peanut suet nuggets, i.e. imitation barkbutter balls.

It's not uncommon to see a flicker out in the grass on in the trees, but today a female visited the feeders.  She landed on the bench, then clung to the post, eying the suet.  The starling on the suet cage refused to budge.  Then the flicker tried to land on the railing by the barkbutter dish but slid off.  So she settled for suet crumbs on the ground.  There she encountered a squirrel, but persisted.  

Chilling

There was evidence of overnight rain but the wind blew hard and the temperature dropped steadily all day long.  As a result, we had bright sunshine and blue sky.  The female red belly wanted seeds but a male cardinal wasn't willing to move.  White throats did their can-can in the mulch.  Titmice and chickadees got some seeds.  A Carolina wren performed on the barkbutter ring.  A myrtle warbler perched on the chair arm.  I refilled the jelly and barkbutter dishes.  A blue jay approved.  

K rehung the suet at lunch after I slipped trying to do it.  While sitting on the steps I was an object of curiosity for a pine warbler and a brown headed nuthatch.  A myrtle warbler was more interested in the suet.  Soon a male oriole visited but didn't partake of our offerings.  Blue birds were happy to feast.  I counted three males and a female.  A mockingbird showed up after the barkbutter dish was emptied.  Two brown headed nuthatches shared the seed feeder perch.  A starling drank from the birdbath.  Brown headed cowbirds took over the seed feeder.  Like the cardinals, they are too heavy for two of them to share the perch.  They argued over which got to stay.  The male red belly visited in the afternoon for suet.  

Earlier in the day,  a great blue heron had been up in the pines.  A few buffleheads had paddled past.  Toward evening, I saw five egrets lined up under the dam. Two or three pelicans were still fishing.  The cormorants flew to their roosts.  The lake was empty of birds as it has mostly been this winter.  The convenient log the turtles used disappeared over the summer.