Hard freeze

The ant moats were solid ice but the creek flowed free.  A Carolina wren was hungry enough to brave the cold.  Soon a white throat arrived.  I had a meeting but kept an eye on the creek.  Gulls and pelicans flew over the creek and egrets prowled under the bulkhead.  Female buffleheads dived and the sun shone.  

The songbirds emptied the dish of mealworms but I waited till after lunch when the temperature had climbed to 32°° to dash outside.  It took the birds a little while to forgive me.  The wren took a barkbutter ball down to the concrete and hammered it into fragments.  The orange crowned warbler chose jelly and followed up with suet, then checked out the barkbutter.  Meanwhile a white throat was foraging under the seed feeder.  The wren decided that looked like a good idea.  

In the late afternoon, egrets congregated on the sunny side of the lake.  Pelicans returned to patrol the creek as the light faded.  

Still cold

Overnight dropped below freezing and the pepper plants were outside.  Again the mockingbird was an early, and very puffed up, visitor.  A myrtle warbler ate jelly.  A row of ruddy ducks floated past.  Many cormorants fished and I saw a pelican go by.  The gulls were back too.  An egret prowled the shore.  I saw shoveler drakes again on the lake.  

Freezing

The thermometer read 28° and the creek was iced over except very close to the far edge.  Low tide exposed mud and sunken branches.Naturally that kept the waterfowl away.  The feeder birds were hungry again but I didn't replenish the barkbutter till the temperature climbed up to 40°.  The female pileated tucked into the suet.  

The female red bellied woodpecker reappeared and ate seeds.  Starlings made their usual mess of the suet.  The mockingbird was around but today it was a warbler that got up on the chair to peer in through the window.  Bluebirds ate seeds too since the barkbutter dish was empty.  White throats scurried around.  The two female orioles argued again and emptied the jelly.  

A white breasted nuthatch also got a share of seeds.  Blue jays were late noticing when I refilled the barkbutter dish.  The creek slowly melted but not the birdbath. 

Ice on the creek

Another overnight freeze made birds hungry.  Orioles just about finished the jelly and the orange crowned warbler helped.  The female pileated woodpecker got up early to have a peaceful turn at the suet. 

I saw a goldfinch in the saltbush.  The waterfowl were absent till afternoon.  Northern shovelers fed on the lake.  As I was leaving for a meeting, I spotted some hoodies on the creek.  On my way home I was followed by a streaky yellow sunset - stratus clouds predicting rain.  

 

Hard freeze

Our thermometer read 26° at 7:15am so the birds had to wait a while till I was willing to set foot outside.  But the sun was shining, the air was calm, and the blue sky paid no attention to the forecast. The birdbath and the ant moat were solid ice, but the creek was open water.  

Warblers puffed up like butterballs.  The red bellied woodpecker scraped the bottom of the barkbutter dish.  A hawk perched high in one of the pines across the creek.  I think the birds were aware of it because they disappeared.  There was a branch or something in front of it that messed up the camera focus but its big yellow talons were unmistakable.  

At lunch there were songbirds.  They'd mad quite a dent in the food so I put out more.  Bluebirds soon arrived.  The downy woodpecker got aggravated at the warblers eating suet and started chasing them away.  Orioles wanted their jelly as did that orange crowned warbler.  A blue jay went after fallen food.  The birdbath was still frozen.  Squirrels were busy and I caught one flying. 

Frozen creek

Even though it was a little warmer and sunny, I don't believe the creek ever melted today.  But that's nothing compared to some parts of the US. 

Still frozen

Not so windy and not quite so cold, but there was ice on the creek and I could not keep the birdbath thawed.  The camellia flowers were ruined but it remains to be seen whether the buds were damaged.  The day was sunny till late afternoon when streaks of cloud spread into a colorful sunset.  I was too cold to traipse down to the dock to get the best view.  

The paler female oriole enjoyed jelly. I didn't see either male or the darker female.  We were away much of the day so I probably missed a lot of birds.  I did see a white breasted nuthatch, juncos, and all the usual birds.

Frozen

Overnight was as cold as predicted but less windy.  I poured hot water into the birdbath twice and each time it refroze.  But while it was still fluid, it was popular with the songbirds.  The creek didn't freeze on account of the wind agitating the surface, I think. 

A female towhee came to eat the seeds I scattered.  So did a flock of cowbirds and red winged blackbirds along with one starling.  A crow flew to the post and scolded till the left.  There weren't many seeds left for the sparrows and juncos.  

A female red bellied woodpecker took the suet away from the downy.  Bluebirds and warblers alternated between suet and barkbutter balls.  Even the nuthatches took turns on the suet.  The Carolina wrens ate some of everything.  

Icy

The warblers woke up cold and hungry and wasted no time getting to the barkbutter.  They were eating before I was.  The brown thrasher was right behind.  It was so early that there wasn't enough light yet for the camera.  The birdbath was frozen again and there was a skin of ice on the near side of the creek.  The current flows against the far side.  

By the time the blue jays got up there was plenty of light.  But they were mostly too fast for me.  The brown thrasher kept coming back for more.  A Carolina wren slipped in for a share of the barkbutter.  Even the foraging sparrows were too fast and often I photographed half a bird or a tail or the air.  And when I got the mockingbird nicely posed, the camera flipped its focus to the background.   

I saw the first junco in weeks.  The red bellied and downy woodpeckers could not stay away from the suet.  Among the white throated sparrows there was a song sparrow.  Bluebirds eventually arrived.  

At lunch time the tide was out and great egrets stalked minnows.  Cormorants and a hoodie drake fished on the lake.  A young pelican paddled up the creek.  

Freezing

The rainwater in the birdbath and dish feeders froze and never thawed all day.  But plants didn't look frost burned.  Pelicans returned to the creek.  The wind was still pushing the tide higher than normal. 

White throated sparrows foraged under the feeders.  So did a brown thrasher.  Pine warblers tackled the suet which wasn't easy because the piece had gotten pretty small.  The yellow rumped warblers stayed on the ground.  Bluebirds and three female orioles could see the barkbutter through the ice and tried to chip it out. The orioles retreated to the suet. 

In the afternoon, the brown thrasher had a go at the ice over the barkbutter.  I also saw a mockingbird and a red bellied woodpecker.  The sky was intensely blue and the wind not as fierce.  Later, I dumped out the ice covered barkbutter mush and refilled the dishes.  The brown thrasher pecked through what I'd discarded.  

Below the dam, a snowy egret waded in the mud.  A couple of people on the dam didn't notice.  A half dozen mallards set up intricate wake patterns.  The setting sun lit the reflected trees.  

Freezing sunshine

A patchy skin of ice covered part of the creek and the birdbath was frozen solid.  A few small cumulus floated in the blue sky.  The orioles wanted first crack at the remains of the suet.  White throats soon came a-foraging.  A Carolina wren was next.  A brown thrasher's head popped up, periscope-like, from below the steps where it was feasting on suet crumbs.  The suet was gone by lunch time so I made a pilgrimage to buy more. 

Pelicans were thick over the creek, undeterred by the ice.  Unfortunately, they were too often obscured by vegetation.  But the young brown pelican rested below the dam beside a great blue heron. 

Since there was so little suet left, and since there was no rain in the forecast, I put out barkbutter balls which immediately drew a whole flock of blue jays.   Bluebirds managed to get a few, but the blue jays packed them in till I was surprised they could take flight.  The woodpeckers decided barkbutter balls were easier to reach than the suet nubbin, but they politely only took one each visit.  Yellow rumped warblers also switched to the barkbutter balls after I refilled the cup they'd emptied during the morning.  A pine warbler lurked up in the cherry with the bluebirds but never came down for food. 

Alas, a starling discovered barkbutter balls so I suppose they'll be emptying that feeder too.  Although, the starling seemed to be sensitive to the hot pepper and needed a drink. 

Snow and rain

Light snow fell at breakfast and dusted the ice on the creek.  It turned to rain about 9am, but I saw flaky white rain occasionally after that.  Over the course of the day, the temperature rose to 50° and almost all snow had disappeared by dark.

The birds were not happy about the sparse food as well as the weather.  Song and white throated sparrows prospected in the melting snow.  A cardinal and the Carolina wren pair joined the search.  The great blue heron chased off a trespasser. It was altogether a dull and drippy day.  

Cold

Morning was sunny but there was still plenty of snow and the creek was again iced over except where the current flowed along the bulkhead.  Even the dock was still covered with snow despite being in the sun.  Geese floated along the narrow open lane. 

I did not put more suet out on account of the starlings, so the birds had to be content with barkbutter balls.  That was OK with the orioles.  And of course the blue jays were delighted.  They queued up for a turn at the cup.  The brown thrasher owned the barkbutter balls for a while by sitting on the cup.  But other birds stayed away after they discovered there wasn't any suet. 

The Carolina wren pair foraged in the snow and picked through the sunflower seeds.  Later I saw the feral cat using the redwood as a scratching post but I wasn't quite fast enough with the camera.  

Lingering snow

This morning there was some ice on the creek.  The day was sunny but just a few degrees above freezing.  Snow that was in the shade only melted a little.  I noticed red spots on the snow under the seed feeder, but I don't know if they were blood or something else.  A female oriole and a male pine warbler started off on the suet.  The pair of Carolina wrens followed.  A brown thrasher prospected for what they dropped.  Then starlings began their raids.  

White throated and song sparrows seemed to find plenty of seeds in the snow.  I saw a yellow rumped warbler on the ground a couple of times.  The downy woodpeckers worked on the suet whenever larger birds let them.  A male red bellied woodpecker and a mockingbird had a shouting match.  Put your money on the woodpecker because, after the mockingbird yielded, a starling took its place.  But not for long.  The red belly drove it away too.    

Pelicans continued the creek patrol but I never got a good shot.  The young eagle made a couple of passes but was harassed by crows.  I tried to take pictures of icicles but most didn't come out.  The dripping roof encased one plant in ice.  I tried to make a bird-size snowman but the snow was very dry and wouldn't stick.  A few small clouds turned pink at sunset.  By that time the suet was completely gone and I just put it out on Monday, not even a full week ago.  

Icy

There was frost on the ground and ice in the creek.  The birdbath was a solid lump.  There was some sunshine at first but the day quickly became overcast.  The ice was soon gone and pelicans fished on the creek. Blue jays quickly emptied the bark butter balls.  A yellow rumped warbler stared accusingly at us.  I did refill the cup later. 

An early song sparrow looked for breakfast in the frost.  The white throats came later.  K refilled the seed feeder and kindly left some seeds on the patio for squirrels.  That seemed to lure them to the feeder to attempt to get more.  The feeder won. 

Two female orioles focused on suet.  So did the mockingbird and a a female red bellied woodpecker.  And the kinglet returned for more.  Pine and yellow rumped warblers tried to drive the larger birds off the suet cage.  The male downy just hopped onboard with an oriole.  Bluebirds were late to the party but they got a share of the suet. 

Sunshine

The overnight chill left a patchy skin of ice on the creek.  I was up earlier than usual and noticed that the orioles visited soon after dawn.  The pine warblers weren't far behind.  I was having problems with focus because of the lighting so a brown thrasher and a blue jay got away.  I was more successful with the song sparrow.  The white throated sparrow mostly hid under the furniture.  

When we got back from taking my car in for inspection, a downy woodpecker had the suet.  Goldfinches returned to the sweet gum tree.  Bluebirds posed and were joined by a blue jay.  The mockingbird tried to be everywhere.  

By lunch time pelicans were fishing again.  Hooded mergansers joined them.  Mallards paddled around on their own business.  

Ice

A skin of ice covered most of the creek when we got up, not just because of the cold - the wind had quit agitating the surface.  The current kept the water open along the bulkhead.  A mockingbird showed up almost immediately.  Then the song sparrow reappeared.  A female oriole soon arrived, followed by the white throated sparrow.  A red breasted nuthatch saw a chance at the feeder. 

Then a second female oriole demanded a turn at the suet.  Bluebirds were more interested in bark butter balls but suet would do.  The mockingbird returned and attacked one of the orioles, actually hitting it mid air.  It has become quite a bully.  A squirrel thought the suet worth checking out, but the pepper was too much for it.  Then the feral cat scared everyone away.  By then the temperature was rising though the day stayed quite cold.  

After the cat gave up, the birds returned and the downy woodpeckers joined them.  A yellow rumped warbler insisted on sharing the suet.  Then a pine warbler did too.  The Carolina wren pair split up as usual, one on the feeders and one on the ground.  Chickadees and titmice made frequent trips to the seeds when house finches weren't sitting there.  A blue jay tried the suet for a change.  I decided I needed to stop taking pictures and deal with the photo backlog from Christmas day.  

Freeze

Not just frost this time, the birdbath was full of ice. But the wind finally stopped howling.  I failed to photograph pelicans and a great blue heron pursuing an intruder.  Vegetation blocked a shot of the egret sheltering below the dam.  The female oriole was an early riser and so was the mockingbird.  Bluebirds and blue jays soon followed, then pine warblers. 

The goldfinch flock drank from the pool puddle since the birdbath was frozen.  Juncos and white throats poked through the mulch looking for whole sunflowers amid all the hulls.  

At lunchtime, white breasted nuthatches came for sunflower seeds.  I'm sure I saw at least two of them.  Later a brown headed nuthatch popped up. 

On the other side of the steps, a brown thrasher tossed mulch around, presumably hunting bugs or worms or maybe runaway barkbutter balls.  Both females, the oriole and downy shared the suet.  That made the mockingbird envious.  At least, its yellow eyes got redder, which I think reflects strong feelings.  Eventually it took possession and the oriole watched instead. 

I also saw a goldfinch on the suet cage with the oriole, but I think it was confused.  The male red bellied woodpecker wanted suet but spooked and fled back to the dogwood.  

The flirting squirrels were back.  They got distracted by fallen seeds.  A female bufflehead fished around the barnacle-encrusted pilings across the creek.  I saw some other ducks headed upstream that may have been hoodies.  Mallards were paddling around with their heads under water.  

Sunny

There was ice in the birdbath again.   Downy woodpeckers worked on the suet and hung out in the dogwood. A blue jay coped with the new height of the bark butter feeder but the brown thrasher gave up.  A Carolina wren was thirsty. 

A pair of Canada geese marched out on the pool cover ti get a drink. 

Frigid

The temperature dropped down into the 20s overnight. There was ice on the creek in addition to the frozen birdbath, but the channel along the bulkhead was kept open by the current.  Still, I was surprised to see a pelican fly upstream, and even more surprised at how long it was before it returned. 

The red bellied woodpecker visited the suet at least twice, but not when I had my hands on the camera. Downy woodpeckers were better at posing. In the afternoon, a male pileated woodpecker flew to the oak. 

The myrtle warbler scavenged fallen tidbits along with the white throats.  A small flock of goldfinches drank from the pool cover.  One was beginning to molt into summer color. 

A brown thrasher came out for bark butter balls.  So did a blue jay.  Another little flock turned out to be bluebirds.  A pine warbler and a song sparrow joined the afternoon cleaning crew.  A Carolina wren kept watch.  This should have been a bird count day.