Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you all well. It is easy for me to say I hope you are all staying warm because it is cold here. Currently, at 2:35 PM it is 21° outside. Ummm… That is -6.1° C I think.
The rain was in the forecast as was a winter storm but the rain was a day late. I got up early on Thursday and Friday morning to feed the cows because of the possibility of rain. As I headed back to town on Friday morning the rain started. It rained most of the day yesterday, which is an understatement. Many times it literally POURED. It rained most of then night then froze. All was calm when I got up and fed the cats and it wasn’t snowing. I looked outside at 11 AM and it had started…
The above photo was taken at 12:12 PM so I thought I would take a few more shots while I was at it…
The birds have been weird this winter because we have had fairly mild weather. The migratory birds were slow to arrive compared to last winter and especially the winter before. The first week in January 2018 saw temperatures of-10° F!
The Red-Bellied Woodpecker is trying his hand at the feeder. Maybe I should say “his beak”. It could be the same one that used to look in m bedroom window. In November I photographed a Downey Woodpecker taking seeds from the feeder and hiding them in the fork of this tree.
The photo above is the Red-Bellied Woodpecker looking at me through the back bedroom window on December 26, 2017. I moved to the back bedroom after mom passed away and I could really watch the birds. I have moved to the front bedroom since then (after dad passed) so I now feed the birds at one of the Maple trees in the front yard. They have gotten used to the traffic from the street.
The Cardinals and sparrows enjoy the feeder the most and occasionally I see a Dark-Eyed Junco feeding from it. A few days ago I spotted a Purple Finch at the feeder. Good thing I bought a six-holer.
There are at least three species of Sparrows that come during the winter.
At about 2 PM I looked outside and saw the young tomcat hiding behind a feeder that blew over during the night. I think the feeder may have had some help falling over from deer. A few nights ago I was awakened by a loud racket on the front porch which followed by Jade being in a panic state in the living room. I looked out the window but saw nothing but I think a deer may have walked up the steps and onto the porch…
It was funny to watch the cat as he thought he was unnoticed. I think the birds were well aware of his presence but they had no fear of a young kitten. It seemed he would get ready to jump but the bird he had his eye on would move. He stayed there for about 20 minutes and his back became snow-covered. Once in a while, a bird would get pretty close on the other side of the feeder but he didn’t notice.
Later, a female Cardinal was at the feeder…
The above shot was taken at 2 PM from the back door…
What is really strange is that the House Sparrows have not bothered the Martin house this winter. Last winter they took it over fairly early.
The cactus at the siding door are glad they are inside. They are not complaining one bit.
Every window I look out I see snow. I was hoping to view a tropical paradise from the south window.
Jade wants no part of it… She refuses to look out of the window. I took her to the bedroom window where last month she enjoyed laying on the windowsill. She still refused and jumped on the foot of the bed and turned her back to the window.
I noticed the snow had lightened up to fine flakes a little after 2 PM.
At 3:25 PM were several Cardinals in the tree and birds started flying in from all directions.
Hmmm… I just noticed the time on my photos is an hour ahead! No wonder I thought something was whacky when I looked at the time. I think I noticed that before but the settings in the camera are correct. I will check again.
The Red-Bellied Woodpecker didn’t like the company and spent more time trying to defend the feeder than getting seed. He soon tired of that and flew off.
The birds started flying in from all directions for a moment then flew off almost as soon as they landed. Every time I look out the window the scene changes. In one second the feeder is loaded and I want a shot then the next second they fly off. LOL!
SO, at 3:45 I will end this post. GEEZ! An hour has passed already! The forecast says it will get down to 17° tonight and currently it is 19. What’s a few more degrees. 🙂 Tomorrow will be in the 40’s and up to 54 on Monday and in the 50’s on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Be sure to keep Australia in your thoughts and prayers!!!
Until next time, stay well, be safe, stay positive and give thanks.
The Belmont Rooster 
We barely got any snow. But, 1/4″ of ice was nasty.
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Hello Jim! We may have close to 1/4″ of ice under the snow. I measured the snow on the railing just now and it appears to be 1″. It will be gone soon as temps warm up tomorrow. The forecast is calling for a little more snow tonight. I hope you and yours are doing well. Stay warm and take care! Thanks for the comment!
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I always enjoy your posts but this one especially . You are very uplifting in your comments . I’m a country girl that loves our 70 degree weather today but I used to have what you and your critters are experiencing .
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Hello Jean! Thanks for your kind words! Being from Ohio I am sure you had your share of snow and cold. This little bit we have is nothing to the winter I spent in St. Paul, Minnesota. I prefer the winters in Mississippi when I was there for a few years. I am dreaming 70 although I have no complaints about this winter so far. Take care and thanks for your comment!
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Hi Rooster, lovely to see the snow & birds at the feeder – the woodpecker is a little work of art – so beautiful. It’s great the way they creep up walls & trees- Really distinctive. I watched an art program on Hokusai about bird painting yesterday & it makes you appreciate them in a new way. The cardinals are lovely too – good to see male vs female & the difference. Obviously I don’t want to upset the sparrows so I’m glad to see them as well!
-6 is lovely & cold – we just never get proper cold weather anymore. I was born in the big snow at the end of 1962 so I do love the cold in winter. I was working outside on Thursday & it was 15 degrees C.
My place is really open with big picture windows & hector my cat really doesn’t like being near the windows in winter. Despite the double glazing, I guess it’s cold right near the glass? I had to move his bed as he stopped using it & was sneezing for about a week in December. He always looked totally surprised when a sneeze came- ‘what was that!’??
I repotted all the houseplants last week & they are all standing to attention looking happy as they feast on the fresh nutrition in the soil. I even managed to successfully repot an orchid that was flowering which I know I should have left alone so I am thankful for that.
I have lots of new babies – leaves, leaf cuttings & internodals for the corapegia woodii – hope they work
Anyway so glad you are feeling better & enjoy the warmth when it comes
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Hello Debbie! Birds are indeed interesting to watch at the feeder. Most of the tie they get along fine but sometimes there is a squabble. The woodpecker is back at the feeder this morning and I also saw a Nuthatch. The Nuthatch is always very interesting to me. I think I know what you mean about the sparrows. Nuf said… But, they are life and need to eat as well.
Maybe the cold from the glass is the reason Jade doesn’t want to be there now. I thought she was being moody or something. She changes her habits off and on.
Glad to hear you have repotted your houseplants and have a lot of new babies.
I am back to normal and spring is on the way. Thanks for the comment and take care always.
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Very mild here in Coventry, I am able to get on with the digging. Long may it continue 😀
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Hello Helen! I have been hearing about the nice weather there which is great! It is such a great time of the year to make preparations for the coming season when the weather is nice. I hope it continues as well. Thanks for the comment and take care!
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And my mason bees did well, the mb society told me. I am looking forward to having them again this year
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That’s AWESOME! Thanks for letting me know!
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What beautiful bird shots! I loved the cat hiding behind the feeder! We have a feeder about 5 feet from our living room picture window. When the seed runs out they fly onto the edge of the window and peck on the window! It’s annoying but it gets my husband out with more food! lol
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Hello Diane! Very funny. I guess they found out where you live. Bird shots can be very tricky. Thanks for the comment!
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Our Red-Bellied Woodpeckers never come right up to the window! I wish they did!
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Hello Jason! The woodpecker came to the window and looked in many times. He also made a lot of noise pecking on the siding. Thanks for the comment!
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That woodpecker really looks curious about what goes on inside. At my former home in town, various birds tried to nest inside, including some unidentified small bird that actually raised a family in my shower. By the time I realized that there was a nest in the bromeliads above, there was an egg in it. Of course, I could not evict them. They were not there long though. Doves tried to nest on top of the refrigerator. they really seemed intent on that spot, even after I tossed their first circle of pine needles. I brought sunflowers in ‘once’, only to come home to a party of finches in the dining room.
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Hello Tony! That’s very amusing. I have not had anything like that here because I keep the doors closed. The mansion in Mississippi had columns on the front porch which was a favorite spot for the Turtle Doves. A male Wren always made a nest in an old AC frame on the back of the house, too. A bird flew in once and a stray tomcat wandered in another time, so I always tried to remember to keep the screen doors closed. Thanks for the comment!
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neighbors told me to install screens. I just did not like them between me and the outside. The windows were opened after winter and stayed open until autumn. It was nice.
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Ahhh… No wonder you had visitors. 🙂
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