Winter Storm Stella: Birds in the Snow

Although I have been thinking spring for a while, winter dealt us one of the biggest storms I can remember--so far, I believe we got a full two feet of snow!

Between my many treks out to shovel--with frequent breaks, I made sure to put out sunflower seed out for the birds.  I tried to place it where it had some protection from the snow, since it was constantly being buried by the newly falling snow--and inch or two per hour, I believe.

Needless to say, school was closed today--and will be again tomorrow.  Being snowed in has its benefits and one of them was being able to watch and photograph the variety of birds that ventured out into the snow for some free food.

Here are only some of the highlights--I've yet to go through them all:

       

 

Snow Day 2017

Having an unexpected day off is nice.



After about two weeks of way above average temperatures in February, I was ready for an early spring--and even hopeful that we'd have no more winter weather.  Last week changed that with overnight temperatures in the single digits.  Although, I knew they were predicting some snow late last night into today, I was hoping to just have a two-hour delay.  That is what I got, but, once I was dressed for work (and not quite ready to go), our school closed.

Being off from work, I decided to finally start sorting through the tons of photos that I've taken.  Since I had been taking pictures, but never getting around to sorting them let alone posting them, I finally pretty much stopped taking pictures (except with my smartphone!).  However, instead of sorting photos, I began taking them again.  With the snow providing a beautiful backdrop, I began snapping picture after picture of the birds that come to the seed I put out for them.

After taking countless pictures, I switched the display from the traditional viewfinder to the digital display screen--that was when I was finally alerted to the fact that there was no memory card in the camera.  I had left it in the computer when transferring my last batch! :(

I will never know if those shots that I thought were so awesome really were.  So, I started again.  I was even able to recapture one shot of a few mourning doves still perched in the same spot in the distant trees.  The rest that I took still have the same mood as those lost forever.

Here are a few of the better ones:

      

 

Despite the snow, spring was in the air.  The trilling calls of the red-winged blackbirds filled the morning air.  Later in the day, I spotted a robin eating the berries from the sumac.  Later, perched outside one of our kitchen windows, the robin, too began singing.

Earliest Ever Red-wing Blackbirds

Most years, I'm on the lookout for red-winged blackbirds--scanning the roadsides where the habitat is right.  This year, I hadn't even begun that spring tradition.  While observing and counting birds in our backyard for the Great Backyard Bird Count, I was surprised to see not only one, but soon two male redwings show up the fourth and final day of the count! :)

 I have never seen them this early.  I even searched back into the archives of this blog--the closest thing that I have to a gardening journal...although they seem to arrive more often than not around mid-March, I have seen them later...and as early as the 4th of March one year...but February is new to me.  Even after reading posts on Facebook of a friend who had already seen them, I was expecting a to have to wait a bit for them to get from South-Western PA to North Eastern PA.  Let's hope that they are bringing an early spring with them.

Spring is in the Air

Although, they are not the best shots in the world, I finally got some photos of a red-wing blackbird displaying his epaulets as he calls out feeling those feelings spring tends to bring. :)

Over the past few days, I've enjoyed the gurgling calls and trills of the redwinged blackbirds out in my yard.  They are still hanging out in loose flocks...and they add an air of excitement to the yard.

Harbingers of Spring

For a couple of weeks, I have been keeping my eye out for the return of the red-wing blackbirds.  Early, I know, but, with much warmer than usual temperatures in February, I was really starting to think spring.  As is my habit, on my drive into work, I began to scan the roadsides where I've seen red-wing blackbirds staking their claim in the past few years.  Normally, I don't start looking in mid-February though.  For the past two weeks, I'd yet to see one, then, this morning before leaving for work, I looked out the window into the back yard, and there were about half a dozen male red-wings feeding on the black oil sunflower seeds I put out!  It made my day.

I had forgotten that we had a little snow overnight.  Just a coating...but still...

In my mind, spring is really here--I was taught that the males come first to stake out their territory, then in two weeks the females arrive...along with spring!

My mood was only slightly dampened by seeing a European starling along with them.  Even that couldn't dampen my spirits.

A Sure Sign of Spring!

For the past week or so, I've been scanning the roadsides for red-winged blackbirds.  Nothing.

The other day, I was at a hardware store to pick up some more birdseed (black oil sunflower seeds).  Across from the store is a natural area, swampy with some trees, cattails, and some winter berry holly (Ilex verticillata)--it always catches my eye.  While crossing the parking lot to enter the store, I heard the distinctive call of the red-winged blackbird-one of the few bird calls I know.    It made me smile.

Hearing them was great...but I had still not had a sighting...until this morning when a small flock of them appeared outside our bay window enjoying the black-oil sunflower seeds I'd sprinkled there.  :)

Not the best shots--taken with my phone...and the red-wings are pretty skittish when they see movement near the window:

Great sight for the first full day of spring!

Late Arrival, Late Posting

With our unusually cold, snowy, and long winter, spring seems later than usual.  For whatever reason, this year I was not longing for spring, but enjoying the winter--maybe I just needed a break from yard work...or maybe I just accepted that I couldn't change the weather.  I know I am looking forward to the clean slate that winters always seem to bring to the yard.

Normally, come mid-February, I'm searching for signs of spring, scanning the wooded hillsides for that red haze that comes upon the maples as they awaken from their winter slumber.  Every year, I am on the lookout for the return of the red-wing blackbirds.  Despite not being in any rush this year, by mid-March, I was scanning the roadsides where I've seen them perch past springs.  This year, however, the first one I saw was in our own backyard! :)

The pictures aren't so great, but I finally got some shots of him a day or two after I first spotted him.

These were taken March 16, 2014:

First Full Day of Spring

Today is the first full day of spring--even though, with temperatures in the 20's overnight and only a high around 33, it sure doesn't feel like it.  A few weeks ago, I was convinced that March meant spring weather for us...it did last year.

Two weeks ago, we had a few days in the mid-50's.  Had I not messed up my access to my blog, I'd have posted what happened back then.  Here it is now:

March 10, 2013

I was thrilled to see a male bluebird checking out the nestbox.  It is the same one they use every year, so I tend to think it is the same pair coming back year after year (or, there descendants).  The photo could be better, but it was taken at quite a distance and cropped.  I'm just happy to have visual proof of our visitor.

After seeing him, I went out and finally cleaned out the nestboxes--something I should've done earlier this year.  The one still had the abandoned nest of the tree swallows.  I removed it and went about cleaning them all.  After wiping them down with bleach and water and rinsing them, I let them dry before closing them up.  Hopefully, it won't be too long before they are in use again!

I ended up moving his one since its post was about to break.

Hopefully this irresistibly inviting hole will be being filled with a grass nest before long.

Now, the bluebird definitely had me thinking spring, but it wasn't until a week or so later that I saw first a grackle and then the long-awaited red-winged blackbird!

March 12, 2013

Finally, my pond is getting some bird action--
there was a morning dove at it earlier this month as well.

Shortly after seeing the one, I soon saw a flock of them!  So, despite the weather, I'm still thinking spring.

March 19, 2013

March 20, 2013

The blackbirds return signals spring to me more than the robins--although, I did spot three robins the other day.  My high school biology teacher always said that spring was 2 weeks after you spot the first red-winged blackbird.  So, I guess we are more than halfway there.

Red-wing & Robins

I've been keeping my eye out for the first red-wing blackbird of the year. Finally, on my drive in to work Friday morning, I spotted a male among the trees and shrubs along the highway where there is a field with a pond. Each year, I will try to document the first I see...it seems they are early this year--not really a surprise with how mild it has been.

This morning I saw a few robins in the yard. While trying to focus the camera, I missed a great shot of a robin pulling a worm from the ground.

Snow Day IV: The Blackbirds Return

Although I was thinking spring and working out in the yard over the weekend (with one day in the 60s), this morning there was a snow storm that closed the schools out this way...so, I get another unexpected day off.

I've been eagerly watching for the red-winged blackbirds to return. Normally, I spot the males perched on cattails or shrubs near ponds along the side of the road. I thought I saw one on Friday while driving in to work, but I couldn't see the tell-tale red and yellow epaulet, so it was not until this morning when a whole flock of them descended on our feeder that I was sure they were back. The males are supposed to arrive 2 weeks before the females to establish their territories. The flock was mixed and predominately female.

The females are streaked brown while the males are black with red and yellow patches on their shoulders. I also noticed a grackle or two feeding with them on occasion.

I love to hear the trilling call of the red-winged blackbird. ~smile~ So, despite the snow, their calls sound like spring to me.

Red-winged Blackbird

I couldn't get a good shot, but at least this time I got a picture showing that the red-wing blackbird came back--with two signs of spring in one picture. That is a pussy willow tree (Salix discolor) that the bird is perched in.

This morning, I woke up and could hear the birds. One sounded familiar; I assumed it was the red-winged blackbird's song. I hope to learn to recognize birds by their calls. There must be a website out there that allows one to learn to match the bird with its song.

Wow, as I type, I looked out the window and can see the brown creeper again!

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Just got back from taking a video of the brown creeper. If I find the cable that will allow me to transfer it to the computer, I'll upload it as a new post.

Although I sort of thought of this blog as my journal, I've already posted things out of order, and I will likely be doing it again. This past week or so, I've been under the weather. When I have had the energy, I've worked outside and did a few things that I've yet to post about. Hopefully, I'll go through the pictures I took and post about my recent projects. At least the red-winged blackbird and brown creeper have motivated me to post again. :)