Winter is Upon UsJanuary 17th, 2016

We can hardly complain. Late fall felt more like early fall this year. And our first 'real' snowfall of the winter wasn't much either. May it continue.

On the path the other day there wasn't much to take shots of.

Bird nests fascinate me... that a bird can construct one using only it's beak, feet and some body shoving—wow. Of course science tells us it's just instinct. I'd like to talk about that with the the first bird that ever made a nest. Where did it get the instinct from?

Young birch trees are one of the few that cling onto their leaves through winter.

I've been watching the fungus on this log for a while. Time is taking its toll.

Black Locusts don't hold their leaves through winter but they sure hang onto their seed pods. 1000s of them on each tree. Nature ensures that her species survive.

Snags are popular with bugs, fungus and woodpeckers.

Some of you have already seen one picture of this hawk. I plastered my online sites with it to try to ID it. My birder friends came through. It's a Cooper's Hawk.

Here's a few more shots of it.

It was a cold day. Notice how he's tucked one foot into his chest feathers to keep it warm.

In this shot one foot is completely inside his feathers. I would guess he changes feet every now & then.

 



When he showed up the first day it was to try for a snack. There were about 10 Mourning Doves and half a dozen Juncos enjoying some seed.

He missed out but not for long. Jane noticed dove feathers on the ground the next day. Maybe it was a miss. I hope so... but hawks have to eat too.

- fini -