Day 31 - 31st January 2018 - White Throated Sparrow, Mallard and Downy Woodpecker

Beautiful moon light shining on the snow this morning.  Windy and blowing snow. Not sure what happen to our "Big" Nor'easter  yesterday but it sure fizzled out. We  had some freezing drizzle in the afternoon and actually got more snow last night.  It's already time to say good bye to January, there goes the first month of the year. The feeders were busy yesterday, we are getting a big flock of Mourning Doves. Not my favourite but all birds need to eat. The Blue Jays come in squawking - of course that usually attracts the Hawk. Lots of Chickadees and Goldfinches. A number of Juncos, Nuthatches and Woodpeckers, with a couple of White Throated Sparrows and Song Sparrow. The Chirstmas Tree is still a big hit - they like to feed in it and have shelter.

White Throated Sparrow

Female Downy Woodpecker

Female Mallard





Enjoy your day!

Day 30 - 30th January 2018 - Song Sparrow, Cranberries and Mallards

Here we go with another morning that's way too early (3:30am). Surely I'll be able to snag a nap before the headache kicks in too badly. So far we have a little snow down but not nearly as much as I expected to see at this morning.  The wind of course is howling and somewhere up there the moon must be coming through since it seems to be quite light out. I guess we'll just wait and see what the day brings. Weather sites are still giving a fair amount of snow and usually with an NE wind that's what we get. Monday went well - got a big pot of soup made  and brown bread rolls, some housework and worked on the bird feeders.  Today is a toss up - curl up with a book or accomplish something - maybe we'll just see how the day unrolls.

 Song Sparrow

 Cranberry ditch

The largest birds at our feeders - Mallards




Enjoy your day!

Day 29 - 29th January 2018 - Mallards and Ice

The stars and the moon must be hiding behind clouds this morning.  Another mild day. Yesterday I reclaimed my library from being the "recovery room" and took the bed back upstairs.  Nice to have that space back with my books. Got caught up on laundry and some housework. Rained in the morning but by lunch time it was over and remained  grey and overcast. A slight delay this morning with a planned power outage. I manged to get up just in time to get a cup of coffee made! Looks like we've got a Nor'easter on it's way for tonight and into Tuesday. A big pot of storm soup and some brown bread rolls are on the agenda for today. That will see us through a power outage nicely. So lots to get done today. I think I'm still prepped for a storm since the last forecasted one - extra water etc under the counter. I've promise I'll paint the heads on the Chickadee feeders so Larry can finish those up.

 The droplets on the Mallards and ice around the shore make me cold to just look at them.

Enjoy your day!

Day 28 - 28th January 2018 - Red Breasted Mergansers, Common Mergansers and Long Tail Duck

No stars this morning , very mild and I can feel the rain in the wind starting. By the time my pictures have uploaded the rain is coming down pretty steady now.  Looks like it will be a good day to get some laundry and housework done.  Yesterday we started with -14 and ended with +5. Got to love Nova Scotia weather.  Yesterday we spent the morning out doing some birding. A drive to Lockeport - of course the wind picked up, but there were a number of ducks around. Back to Shelburne we trolled Dock Street then headed up to do some grocery shopping before going home. Red Breasted Mergansers, Common Mergansers, Black Scoters, Mallards, Eiders and Long Tail Ducks were among our find.

Red Breasted Mergansers at the East Jordan Breakwater.

And off the flew.

Everything was frosted and icy.

 Common Mergansers behind the Gulls.

 Long Tail Duck at Lockeport.

And of course you can always find a Chickadee.






Enjoy your day!

Day 27 - 27th January 2018- Sharp Shinned Hawk, Robin and Gull

Lovely morning (except quite cold) out there - stars are twinkling in the sky, no wind yet! Best thing - I've slept a little longer. Sometimes it's just the little things you are grateful for.  Had a good day yesterday - some errands around town, lunch out and then I walked over for tea and a chat with Lois. While we were sitting on the deck, a Sharp Shinned Hawk flew in looking to see what he could pluck from the feeders. He failed and went away hungry. Unfortunately I had hit the wrong setting on my camera so not the greatest of pics.  I notice that the cranberry ditch finally has  partially filled with water (ice), first time since late spring. Played aggravation last night and Alice came out the winner.  Off to do some birding today, not sure which direction we will head.

 A Sharp Shinned Hawk - young one (1st year perhaps), he hasn't got all of his coloring in yet.

 Lots of Robins around.

A Gull plays sentry on top of a chimney.




Enjoy your day!

Day 26 - 26th January 2018 - Pintail, Mallards and White Throated Sparrow

Here I am up at 4 am again and I went to bed later than normal last night! Some snow coming down out there, cold and windy. The ground is covered in the hour I've been up, but it seems like big flakes so hopefully we won't get much. Well it's Friday which means Thelma and Louise day, plus I've got a bunch of errands to do around town.  I look forward to our outings and this week I need it. Tonight of course is Aggravation and if we are lucky Larry won't beat us too badly. But it ensures lots of laughter an vocabulary enhancement.  I noticed some ducks in the harbour yesterday but too far to determine what they were, might have to take a drive down along Dock Street on the weekend and size things up.

 Pintail and Mallard from last weekend.

White Throated Sparrow.






Enjoy your day!

Day 25 - 25th January 2018 - Gull, Red-Necked Grebe and Dock Street

Stars are shining in the sky this morning, little cool but not bad. No wind  but I'm sure it will pick up later. Seems it blows most every day.  A good day at work Wednesday with lots accomplished, coming to the end of it though. I think I can say we got done mostly what we wanted to get done, maybe a few other things. So that's a great feeling.  It would be nice to continue the work, but Monday will be the start of some work at home that sorely needs to be caught up. Maybe we'll find time to get some serious birding in too. Exercise class tonight, looking forward to the physical exertion although I got lots of it yesterday, but I seem to need the extra this week.

A Gull catching breakfast.

 The Red-Necked Grebe - not a great shot.

Early morning on Dock Street with the street lights still on.




Enjoy your day!

Day 24 - 24th January 2018 - Weeds, White Breasted Nuthatch and Junco

Seems the rain has stopped, deck is clear of ice and looks like the snow is 99% gone from the yard. Hopefully it took the ice from the dirt roads too. I was really tired last night so went to bed early....yup I'm up too early this morning, going to be a long day! Looks like a fine mild day in the making. Might take Big B. with me today. There's been some activity in the harbour - Ducks and if nothing else there are lots of Gulls around.  Most of them seem to be Herring Gulls in various stages of life, but you never know what one might find lurking.  Lots to do at work as I wind down my project. Larry's off to get his driver's license renewed today - growing older  later this week.

Weeds seem to hold in the winter weather.

 White Breasted Nuthatch

Junco having some quiet time on the fence post.









Enjoy your day!

Day 23 - 23rd January 2018- The Lake, Chickadee and Hydrangea

Monday was one of those days I needed Big B! I've not been taking her to work with me these days, it's usually slippery underfoot and I don't want to risk one of us getting broken. Yesterday morning I had a Great Horned Owl in the yard not far from the house - it was too dark so that didn't matter. At work I looked out the window and there was an American Pipit flitting up and down the side walk.  Doreen being a good friend took up the challenge to get a pic with her phone so I could be sure. Went to the BeanDock at lunch time and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker is hanging out in the trees around there. Both I've seen before but it was sure nice to see them again...maybe a sign of good things to come. Managed to get out to exercise class last night - more of that in the future. Time to get rid of those Christmas Chocolate pounds I've added on and get back in shape. Lots of rain on the way for today!

 Lovely spot to sit and enjoy the lake.

 Not often do I get the Chickadees to stop for a few minutes.

The Hydrangeas hold their petals even in winter




Enjoy your day!

Day 22 - 22nd January 2018- Squirrel, White Breasted Nuthatch and Chickadee

It's Monday, so begins the work week once again. Gee the weekends fly by! But weather wise it was a great one. Since it was so mild, anywhere gravel/dirt was difficult to navigate on foot as it's become very slippery. I stick to the edge of the private road stomping through the snow. It was a nice day for a walk in the hood, the lake is like glass but I'm sure it's not safe to skate on yet. Not long ago it was open with water flowing. It's one of those winters - freeze/thaw, freeze/thaw. I'm happy with my new camera - have made a few setting adjustments and catching on to the differences between this one and my old one. Larry got some more wood put in the basement from the woodshed in the afternoon. Most of the upcoming week looks fairly mild with rain coming tomorrow.

Being a fine day the Squirrel ate on the roof top of the feeder.

 White Breasted Nuthatch

And as luck would have it the Chickadees were in a posing mood!




Enjoy your day!

Day 21 - 21st January 2018 - Green Winged Teal, Northern Pintails and Other Ducks

Saturday turned out to be a lovely day, weather wise with the temperature around +6. Did a few things around the house then headed in to town late morning. I had taken Big B. since it was nice and told Larry to swing around by Diane's to see what was around for ducks. She always as an interesting assortment that hang around the brook near the head of the harbour. I wasn't disappointed the Northern Pintail and a Green-Winged Teal were among the many Mallards, Black Ducks and Crosses. Of course it was nice to chat and catch up with Diane.  A quick trip to the Industrial Park yielded nothing - perhaps too late in the morning and the wind had picked up by then. Groceries and few errands and then homeward bound. Aggravation last evening and Chase the Ace on the live feed. Finally we beat Larry's team!! Rah!! In the yard the feeders were busy yesterday as well - 9-10 Juncos have appeared and a second White Throated Sparrow.

 Female Green Winged Teal

 Northern Pintail

 A few of the crosses - this one has a very striking white eyebrow

A few are very light but obvious that there is Mallard involved.







Enjoy your day!

Day 20 - 20th January 2018 - Song Sparrow, Junco and Fox Sparrow

Friday turned out to be a nice day, few flurries in the afternoon but that was all. The next 4-5 days look warmer - time to put some more wood in the basement.  Got some housework done in the morning then it was off to the hairdressers and lunch. Aggravation last night - Larry's team won again! The feeders were  busy yesterday with the addition of 5 Juncos. Lots of Goldfinches, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, Chickadees the Red Winged Blackbirds, Starlings and a Grackle. Song Sparow, White Throated Sparrow and a Fox Sparrow spent the day. The Fox Sparrow is shy and feeds under the bushes. Some time today, I should go pick up some groceries, but maybe we can put it off til tomorrow. Will see what the weather is like, an hour or two birding somewhere might be nice too.

 Song Sparrow

 Junco

 Couldn't coax this Fox Sparrow out.

Stealing from the Christmas Tree





Enjoy your day!

Day 19 - 19th January 2018 -The Lake, Goldfinch and Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Thursday turned out to be a nice day -weather wise, a good day at work and a neighbour brought us some lobsters last night. Can't ask for much better than that.  It's Friday and I'm off, but have lots on the go.  Getting my hair done, it's Thelma and Louise Day so that means lunch and then Aggravation tonight. Sometime in  there I've got  things to do around the house and I want to get out in the hood for a bit, take Big B. and see what's around.  Actually I want to get out with my new camera - just an upgrade from the one I have but am excited to try it out. Christmas gift but I ordered it after the holidays. If the weather holds maybe we'll get out this weekend for some birding.

 A beautiful morning a while ago on the lake.

 Goldfinch hides out.

Red Breasted Nuthatch.








Enjoy your day!

Day 18 - 18th January 2018 - Goldfinches, Pine Siskin and Grackle

Wednesday was nasty  - snowed all day and then turned to ice pellets. If we got rain it wasn't much, snow is still heavy looking on the bushes/trees.  School is cancelled today so I'm guessing it won't be a great drive in this morning either. Despite the weather I had a great day at work. A couple of old account books tweaked my interested as I was handling them so of course I had to take a few minutes of quick research to see what more I could discover about the owners. One is still a bit elusive but I have some ideas in the back of my head about the provenance. Sometimes it's like a jigsaw puzzle or an Agatha Christie novel. Piecing things together til the mystery is solved! So today is my Friday and I've got lots that I want to do.

Goldfinches with the single Pine Siskin.

 They remind me of an Ant Farm!

And our resident, Grackle.








Enjoy your day!

Day 17 - 17th January 2018- Downy Woodpecker and Re Winged Blackbirds

I'm up a bit too early this morning but not entirely my fault. Forgot that Larry was going on the road early and had a bit of a panic that something was wrong when he was already up.  It's extremely unusual for him to be up before me!  Snowing out there this morning, sounds like it will turn to rain by supper time - might be messy on the homeward commute. Finished what I was working on the last few days at work, will move on to something new today. Going well with the project I'm doing, will miss the work when I'm done next week. Might just manage a few volunteer days /month afterwards. It was Trivia last night - lots of laughs as always and even though our team was down a couple of players we won. I guess we are good guessers!

Downy Woodpecker.

Red-Winged Blackbirds.






Enjoy your day!