Day 24 - 24th January 2014 - Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Starlings and the Lake

It's Friday folks, temperature is -17.3, bundle up when you go out. Although looks like it will be a fine day. Time to get some housework done, pay some bills, etc. Might find a little time for some research. Sounds exciting! We get out for my walk and stretch out the muscles that Cindy worked out at exercise class last night. Betting it will be a good day for the girls to go skiing.
Thursday was a day of cleaning up and shoveling out, in fact schools had an extra day off just for that purpose I hear.  The sun came out later, blue skies and fluffy clouds with a few flurries periodically but remained cold. I got out around 9 am or so for my walk. Just couldn't seem to get moving earlier. I broke my trail in some places, kind of quiet, the occasional Woodpecker flitting by. I should have waited a little bit longer til the sun was out beyond the clouds and the bling was sparkling on the snow. Larry spent a fair amount of time with the snow shovel. Poor Lexi was exiled mostly to the house as the neighbour's dogs were running the hood (as usual) and the kids (13 yrs old)  were all over the place including the road on 4-wheelers.  We get to listen to this noise day in and day out. Am rather sick and tired of both but appears there is little a person can do.

 Female Hairy Woodpecker have breakfast at Lois'.

 My little friend the White-throated Sparrow, he was hiding under Lois' Christmas tree and popped out.

 Looking across the lake.

 I was the only steps on this part of the road, but wasn't long and their plow came through.

 Trees heavy with snow.

 Another Woodpecker.

 Even the Squirrels need to eat in the cold weather.

 The Starling was having a hard time getting the suet from the log.

 He wasn't very happy.

But the Blue Jay seem to do better.



















Enjoy your day!

Day 23 - 23rd January 2014 - Nor'Easter and Birds

Brr... chilly this morning, temperature is -10.5. I see it's still a bit windy and a few snow flakes are blowing around. Guess I'll let Larry and Lexi sleep in some, they usually do the shoveling so will have a busy morning. I'll take advantage and once daylight starts to break through will check out the hood and see where the drifts, etc are. I always enjoy being the first through trails. I should do a little research today as well. Exercise class tonight.
It was a wild and windy day. What we call a Nor'Easter in the Maritimes - although you have to get the right accent on that in order to pronounce it like we do. They pegged it right this time. I did get out for a jaunt around the hood in the morning, but it had begun to snow again and the wind was picking up so I kept it short. I spent a fair amount of time watching the birds at the feeder off and on. At one point in the morning a hawk flew in after one of my little chickadees; thank goodness he was agile and the hawk left hungry. Of course in my excitement and fear for the chickadee I didn't grab my camera in time to catch a photo. I made a soup and let it simmer most of the afternoon on the stove, smelled so good. I convince Larry to make biscuits to go with it - he makes far better biscuits than I do and they were good. It was the kind of meal to have on a stormy day. Luck would have it we kept our power.

 Mine were the first tracks in the morning along this part of the road I walk. Not even a vehicle had been out, everyone was tucked up.

 Lois' White-throated Sparrow is still not being very friendly.

 It was snowing pretty good.

 The Mourning Dove was just sitting quietly on the fence.

 I refilled the suet log early in the morning.

 Taking a little break in the shelter of the feeder.

 How fluffy can I get?

 Juncos usually aren't into the suet but this guy seemed to enjoy this.

Even the Starlings sought refuge.

The snow and wind whistled by.












Enjoy your day!

Day 22 - 22nd January 2014 - The Sky, Chickadees and Juncos

Sounds like a snow day for students, hopefully businesses will be smart to. Really who needs to go shopping? Temperature is -9.5. We've had some snow overnight, but looks like we are in the lull they talked about. Blizzard conditions this afternoon and evening - sounds like the time for a good book and a cup of tea. Will try to make a dash around the hood this morning and check everything out ahead of time. The busiest time for a storm day is getting ready for it. Until it's time to shovel afterwards, it's kind of a lay back and watch it snow.  Hopefully the birds will flock in today. It's been a bit of  a disappointment this year, maybe our somewhat open winter, I'm not sure but the variety of birds don't seem to be around the feeders. I've checked with a few other people and they say the same thing.
A good but chilly day in town. Everyone seemed to be buzzing around getting ready for the storm. Did some volunteer work, got a few errands done and had lunch at the Beandock. All was good. Even went it with my regular summer ride, Nancy and it's been several months since we've caught up. Home to leftovers for supper and tidy up some.

 The sky had the look of a storm brewing yesterday morning.

 The Chickadees were busy, but I think they may have been too late at the suet log.

Looks like he might have found something.

 The Junco was hanging out in the Christmas Tree. We moved it next to the fence to give a bit of shelter around the suet log. They seem to like it better there.









Enjoy your day!

Day 21 - 21st January 2014 - Blue Jays, Grasses and Ice

We are back to the chill - temperature is -7.5 this morning.  I've never seen the "red alert/warning" bar on the weather sites so much as it has been this year but it's up again, Blizzard on it's way tomorrow morning.  I had decided last night that I'd go in town today instead of Wednesday and do my errands, etc. So bundle up and get ready for another storm folks, our spring weather of last week is gone.
Monday got back to the routine. Out for my morning jaunt - no beaver in sight and the water is starting to drop back where it belongs again - in the lake! Home again, load of laundry on the go, back to the grant work. That's kind of draining on the brain power but 2 are completed and sent. The joy of online applications - you can do them from anywhere. Not to strain myself any further I went back to some light housework - floors etc. Good to work the body a bit after the brain. Exercise class and that gave the body a real good workout, if I'm going to drop some pounds and tone up - got to work it hard!

 I think the Beavers have a new house or last years young fellow has moved out.

 A little crispy ice.

 Still a few grasses around.

 The Blue Jays are comical to watch.

I wish they would leave this feeder alone.

Some days you just get a good photo of twigs - no way was the White Throated Sparrow posing yesterday.


















Enjoy your day!

Day 20 - 20th January 2014 - Goldfinches, Snow and A Woodpecker.

Monday morning, temperature is 0.6, looks like that will start  dipping down after today and become more "seasonable" again with some snow this week. The weekends go by really quickly, wish we could stretch them out longer. Time to get at things, need to get those grant applications finished up in the next few days that I started on last week, not interested in dragging them out longer than necessary. After writing them for 11 years I'm not really interested in that either but they have to be done. Definitely will get out around the hood today and check out the water, should have started to recede  now. Exercise class tonight - rah!
Well hopefully we are back to normal and regular hours until our next wet snow storm. It was a long and busy day yesterday. I had a very early night, took my kobo went to bed to read but didn't last long.

 I love the way these two finches were posing.

 A winter wonderland as we drove up the road yesterday morning.

 McKay Lake.

Always a Chickadee hanging out.

 Lexi spent some time watching the birds at the feeder.

A Hairy Woodpecker finally found my suet log.




















Enjoy your day!

Day 19 - 19th January 2014 - Flooding, Lichen, Raindrops and Chickadees.

My internet finally returned at some point this afternoon. So it's going to be short and sweet. Today we said good by to an old friend. Alan will certainly be missed and there was a huge crowd of family and friends to see him off.
An overcast gloomy day on Saturday. Mostly spent in the kitchen - pans of squares and brown bread rolls, some puttering around the house. We started getting that wet heavy snow by supper time. Larry had gone to town for a Social at the Fire Hall, Lexi and I planned to curl up and watch tv. Easy evening. Internet went out, power kept flickering off and Larry came home early.

A section of the private road I walk is flooded. 

Lots of reflections in the flooded swamp. The lake is in the background.

The lichen looks so fresh.

All the trees are dripping.

Chickadees are always busy.

More sprouting in the gardens.














Hope you had a good day.

Day 18 - 18th January 2014 - Loons, Ducks, Chickens and Surf

Saturday, temperature is +1.8, giving some rain and snow for later today and this evening. Have lots to accomplish today, so need to kick start myself and get going. The day off made me feel much better.  Larry's off to a Fire Dept. Social in town at supper time, so Lexi and I will have a lazy evening at home. Have some baking to do this morning and some computer work later. Sure the regular old housework will fall in there somewhere too.
Well we escaped yesterday and it was well worth it. I needed an outing with my camera, away from the house, the hood, etc. Normally I don't mind being home in the winter but I think the constant rain lately makes me "Shack Wacky" as my friend says. It's always so dark and dreary when it rains. We headed down towards Lockeport, stopped in East Jordan, then on to Lockeport beach area, motored through Allandale, West Sable River, stopped at Louis Head Beach and the Breakwater Rd. Decided the dirt road down to Hemeon's Head was probably just too muddy, we did go down to Rockland but turned around - soft and lots of ruts.  Headed back to town, a few groceries and then home by late afternoon. Left over pizza for supper meant no cooking and a perfect ending to the day.

 It was a great day for Loons, saw 8 in one group.

 Saw several of these Horned Grebes too.

 There were so many Canada geese in Lockeport, this is only one section of them.

 Got some good in flight shots of this gull, but my favourite was...

 The landing, he looks like he's wearing a tutu.

 This Horned Grebe was riding the waves.

 And some more domesticated fowl - Guinea Hens.

 A Plymouth Rock Rooster strutting his stuff.

 The surf was rough.

 A curious little Song Sparrow.

Ya know I'm a sucker with water droplet bling!












Enjoy your day!