Little - Big

Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are very similar in appearance.

So much so one would be forgiven for thinking Downys were just young Hairys.

They're not.

The main difference is size. Which is why it is so nice when they show up on the same tree.

Icy Colors

The front bubbler was not the only thing freezing over.

The Fish Pond has as well.

When we moved in Dennis, the prior owner told me that it was important to have some open water for the fish. And he left us a heater to put in the filter box.

Most years, that is enough to keep an area around the filter box ice free. Not this year however.

Thus I've been smashing the ice to open up that zone. One enjoyable side effect of which has been the interesting optical effects, highlighted by the colors.

It's the little things that make me smile.

And apparently icy things.

Icy Bubbler

It has been cold around these parts of late. Rarely getting much above freezing, often in the teens Fahrenheit, and occasionally in the single digits.

And the front bubbler bird bath has frozen completely solid at times.

Well almost completely solid. Seems there is still a bit of liquid water.

And whenever there is then if there is enough sunlight hitting the solar panel, the water flows.

And for some reason, that makes me smile.

🙂

They Need a Shovel

And hands to use it.

In the Snowbirds post I mentioned that the Mourning Dove went hungry.

And noted the birds seemed confused in the Messy Garden post.

You know that feeling when you go to a favorite restaurant anticipating a nice meal and find it to be closed?

Yeah it was that. Only for birds.

Snow Birds

Friday morning we woke to a winter wonder land.

And the American Robins, looking for food, descended upon the Crabapple tree.

And they found it.

Which can't be said for the Mourning Dove.

Thoughts of Warmer Times

On day this past June I spotting this red patch in the Crabapple tree out my office window.

And work went on hold.

A young Northern Cardinal. 

And as I was watching a young Great-crested Flycatcher made an appearance.

A nice interlude between work tasks. 

And something to dream of these cold dark days.    

Snow Bird

Fast forward some months ...

I wonder if it is the same Northern Cardinal. 

And I wonder if it's dreaming of warmer times?

What a Difference a Week Makes

This morning I took this picture looking out the window over my work laptop:

(You might recall the image on the laptop.)

I took this picture last week, of Patty's nephew Stephen 'working from home':

This morning:

Last week:

❄️  🏝  ❄️  🏝  ❄️

Messy Garden

One of the benefits of gardening for wildlife is that the amount of yard work is significantly reduced. A trivial example is every square meter of garden is one less square meter to mow. 

Another maintenance job we no longer do is cut down the dead plants in the fall.

And this is one of the reasons why.

As you can see we had a bit of snow.

And the bird feeders were all snow covered. 

The birds were confused.

But there was still food available.

And this Chipping Sparrow was out my office window happily munching away at native grass seeds.

Which is another benefit of gardening for wildlife, benefiting the wildlife.

Hiding Place

As Winter approaches, and is now here, we shut down the filter system for the fish pond. Cutting off the water to the waterfall.

And this Song Sparrow promptly found a nice little hidey-hole. It spent quite a bit of time pecking at the "seaweed" on the rocks of the now still waterfall.

Winter Home

So the other day as I lay down in bed I spotted a dark spot in the corner, where the two walls meet the ceiling. "What is that?" I wondered. So I grabbed my glasses and saw this ...

If you bigafy the image you'll see if is a group of Lady Bugs. They've been there over a week now. I think this is their home for the winter.

We'll see what happens over the winter. Kinda cool if you ask me.

Polar Bird Club

Prior to the Fish Pond Waterfall being shut down for the winter, our resident Hermit Thrush decided to go for a dip.

Crazy. It's been in the 20's Fahrenheit most mornings. Yet this critter seemed to actually enjoy its splash about.

Crazy.

Back By Popular Demand

The Winter Solstice Bonfire Yule Log Spirit Animal Music Jam.

That's what's back, after a one year hiatus due to the plague.

Our friend Russel once again provided the music in the Music Jam ...

... this time accompanied by my brother-in-law Dano on guitar.

Fire ...

... friends ...

... and food (and drinks!).

It doesn't get any better than this.

Everyone enjoyed being back together. 

And we all enjoyed getting our spirit animal.

For this coming year, mine is a zebra.

🔥  🔥  🔥  🔥  🔥

So, maybe some year I'll remember to get the camera before the event starts, and get some pictures of the Yule Log ceremony. 

A very big thanks to our friend The Goddess for introducing us to the Yule Log ceremony, providing the Yule Log each year, and leading the ceremony. 

Yard Spider of the Week

The other day, while out in the yard, I noticed a strand of spider web drifting by. Knowing that baby spiders use such strands to fly about. So I intercepted it, and dragged it across the deck railing.

And I was rewarded with this critter:

A Magnolia Green Jumper, Lyssomanes viridis. 

It is tiny!

BugGuide notes that the habit range is generally considered to have its northern edge in North Carolina, but that there are "several images from New Jersey, Virginia, and Colorado". And we do have a Magnolia in the yard.

🕷  🕷  🕷  🕷  🕷

You can find all of the Yard Critter posts listed here.

Thanks to CapeMayWren for help with the ID.

Winter Sun

But for a bit of wind, it was a beautiful late fall day.

Not a cloud in the sky.

Second Owner

You may recall that there have been Carolina Wrens roosting outside our backdoor (memory refresher here). And that diagonally across from the Wren Roost was a Wasp Nest (memory lane).

Well, with the cold weather the wasps have moved out.

And a Wren has taken up residence.

Crazy right? We were out visiting friends yesterday, and arrived home after dark. After carrying stuff inside (lots of potatoes from their farm share) I went back out to retrieve the mail. And upon my return noticed something different about the nest. As I approached the bird came into view. Cool.

It had been on my to do list to remove the nest. That task has been crossed off for the time being.

Deadly Beauty

A bird feather, stuck to our living room window.

A pretty little thing, I wonder what species?

And in the lower left of the image, the imprint of more bird feathers. 

I think it makes for a pleasing image.

But the cost. A bird smashed into the window with enough force to leave a feather and the imprint. Anyone who has ever walked into a glass door (I have) will have some little understanding of what it is like. But for a bird flying full speed, it can be fatal.

We've taken a number of steps to minimize such collisions. The vertical line to the right of the feather is one of several hanging cords, which serve to deter the birds. We have a few stickers on the window as well. The feeders are all ten plus feet away, giving the birds time to course correct when they detect the window. 

But many birds feed  on the ground, and when spooked they see a reflection of trees in the window, and fly at full speed into the glass. 

It has been a while since I've found a dead bird below one of our windows. Perhaps the measures we've taken are working. Or perhaps the birds fly off, only to succumb to injuries out of sight. Or maybe the hawk that spooked them picks them from the ground. 

I like to think (hope?) that the birds are ok. And at worst just a bit stunned. As a kid, whenever a cartoon character would get hit in the head, little birds would circle said head, before recovery. Perhaps the birds see little humans circling their heads, before they recover.