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.