Spring is seriously late

Snow and more snow coming

I have never seen spring arriving this late and I have a serious case of cabin fever.  It isn't helping that I have been very busy with work and other projects, that prevented me from going out. Now, as I'm writing this, there is more snow coming down from the skies. With more of the same forecast for tomorrow, and here we are nearing the end of April.

At one time, years ago, it used to be that spring arrived in March and in odd years we would get a freak snowfall late in April,but the snow would be gone as fast as it arrived.   People are not dealing well with the changing weather patterns either. Many are cranky or seriously depressed, with some getting downright rude.

The butterflies that had emerged a little more than a week ago, have gone back into hiding.  The migrating birds, with the exception of Robins, seem to be arriving late as well.   Dark-eyed Juncos, for example returned late in March instead of February.  Resident birds, such as Blue Jays and Magpies however are acting as if nothing unusual is occuring and are going ahead with courtship and nesting.

With the cabin fever making me seriously restless, I had to get out of the house and make contact with nature.

The first thing I noticed was that the wind was picking up, but as I walked throught he forest with the icy crust of snow crunching loudly under my feet, I noticed more signs that spring is most definitely on its way. There were not many birds to see, but I could hear them loudly and cheerfully all around me.

Nuthatch, Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco, Downy woodpeckers and Northern Flicker all well hidden in the tree tops. The Bohemian waxwings are still around and flocking all over the neighborhood and the Crows are everywhere.  The fact that the Crows have stayed encourages me, as they would not stay in the city if the weather was to turn seriously nasty.

The highlights of my outing were the sighting of a gorgeous, and ever cheerful, Golden-crowned Kinglet and a Golden Eagle flying by high above the forest.  I am feeling somewhat more cheerful,even though the cold weather wore me out.  There is nothing like birdwatching and a long walk in the forest to make me feel better.

Golden Crowned Kinglet

Golden Crowned Kinglet hiding

Golden Eagle

Gold Eagle

I just hope the weather warms up in the next couple of weeks before the the migrating birds arrive in significant numbers, most especially the Hummingbirds, if they arrive at the usual time.

Enjoy,
Susan
 

Once second with nature: April

 I don't have a whole lot to say today.  Only one word "Snow"  I think that says it all.

So I thought I would share a photo from my trip to Alaska a few years ago, a fond memory for me, and a piece of nature's beauty for you.

Enjoy,
Susan

Highlight of the day

I have not been able to go out much. I have been so busy, although for the most part the weather has been just lovely. This morning I got up to a nasty surprise though. Winter is back, again. Arrrg.  Nevertheless, I'm encouraged by the birds I have seen when I did venture out just recently for a brief time.

Although I saw a pair of Geese last week, I spotted the Canada Goose arriving in flight formation.  These were followed closely by another skein of their fellows.  A great sign that migration has begun.

When I reached the path to the forest, I was greeted by this gorgeous fat Robin, who was very cooperative about having his picture taken.  There were several others, more shy, foraging in the bushes, while the nuthatch called and the House Finches sang their courting songs.

Then I heard another sound, that of a bill striking the underside of a leaf or branch.  I turned and briefly caught sight of a flash of black.  As I focused my camera on a nearby bush, I caught sight of this.  A Dark-eyed Junco playing peek-a-boo with me.

Then a another voice, so low, that if I hadn't been standing very quietly and very still, I would have missed it.  I took a few steps under the trees, along the forest floor and waited.  It was warm enough, that there were trailing webs from inch worms and spiders.  It always amazed me that insects emerge so early in spring.  But I'm getting off track, sure enough before long, there it was again, a voice so sweet.  It was a Golden Crowned Kinglet, flitting from branch to branch, and tree to tree.

It wont be long now, before I see his cousin, the Ruby Crowned Kinglet and I can't wait.

It was a peaceful and delightful outing.  But it wasn't over until I got to within sight of my own front door.  On the way home I briefly watched a Magpie as he collected nesting materials.  I moved on, somewhat sad that I had no more time to spend outdoors and that's when the real action took place.

I spotted a Prairie Falcon on the hunt.  I missed the other bird entirely, although I think it might have been a Kestrel.  However, the Falcon missed his target and was screaming, as you can see and turned towards me, to fly up to a light post, where it perched briefly.

I shoot handheld and the bird was moving very fast, so these photos aren't the best.  However, I was pleased to get several shots of the falcon in flight as well as in the process of landing.  I would have liked to have gotten several more, but a passing pedestrian caused the Prairie Falcon to take off again.  This time directly down and straight at me, before veering off  very low to the ground, just above the street.

As you can see by this last photo, I couldn't keep a focus, the bird was moving that fast.  Nevertheless, I was thrilled.  It isn't often that I get action shots of Raptors, so although I had a wonderful outing, this was definitely the highlight of my day.



Enjoy.
Susan

More signs of spring

Lady bug

First of all, a warm welcome to my two new followers and a happy Easter to all.

This week has been very busy for me.  However, I did stop to smell the roses as it were.  My short visits with nature provided more proof that spring is indeed arriving, albeit slowly.

For one thing the crows and seagulls have arrived back in the city in small numbers.  Yesterday morning I spotted this ladybug in the mud near the snow melt line in my front yard.  I took a quick photo with my cell phone, before I headed down to the little forest down the street.

As you can see in the photo below, we still  have a ton of snow.



But temperatures are such, that it is melting rapidly.  So in the little forest the snow is still quite deep, but by now I have forged a nice little trail.  Here are some images of the birds I saw this past week on my outings there.

Male Pileated Woodpecker

Female Pileated

The Pileated Woodpeckers have been mysteriously absent in the forest this winter.  But now they seemed to have paired off, I was delighted to see them again.

White Breasted Nuthatch

Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker

Both the red and yellow-shafted flickers have been a constant presence this winter, and I have many new photos of them, of course another fair close-up never hurts.

Bohemian Waxwing

The Bohemian waxwings are such fun to watch, especially now that most of the fruit has been consumed and they are foraging in the pines and much lower to the ground.  They will be gone before long, when the weather gets to be too warm for them, and be replaced by Cedar waxwings.  I can't wait to see them again.

Enjoy,
Susan

Winter is warring with Spring

A little more than a week ago the snow was melting nicely and the temperatures were rising. However, apparently winter isn't going to go out like a lamb this year. The result is a major dumping of light powdery snow which is accumulating steadily.



I'm sure this makes the avid skiers insanely happy, but both driving and walking has become rather tricky, as there is ice beneath the snow.  Trust me I found some.  Me and ice do not get along, since an encounter usually ends up somewhat painful for me, which is why I never learned to skate.

Bohemian Waxwing reaching for a berry

Waxwing on lookout

Another result of this war between winter and spring, is that the birds have gone mostly into hiding.  Except the Bohemian Waxwings of course.  They seem to love the nasty weather and are flying all over the neighborhood.  Here are some members of a small flock I caught in action on a very cold day just when it stopped snowing for a short while.

Grasping a tasty berry

Showing off their colors

However, what seems likely often isn't, when the weather turns nasty birds need more food to help them keep warm, which is why the Bohemians are likely more actively searching for food and berries are their preferred food source. When they fly all over the neighborhood during nasty weather, greedily consuming fruit it is very much a necessity.   The fruit trees in the immediate neighborhood have pretty much been stripped of fruit as a result.

I sincerely hope spring wins this battle of the seasons very soon.

Enjoy,
Susan

One second with Nature-light and fire

                                                        Timeless Fire

I took this image last fall, I love the way the light paints the top leaf in a rainbow of  fire shades.

Enjoy,
Susan
 

A sign that spring isn't far away

Field and forest across from the new development

I don't often see Coyotes. When I, do it is usually closer to spring, when the males are on the move in search of females, but I typically see only a brief, flash of a glimpse of this beautiful creature.  So I was delighted to get this lone coyote in the sights of my camera unexpectedly as I was sitting in a vehicle, in a new development at the edge of the city.

While I detest the thought that more land is being swallowed up by the ever expanding city, new developments sometimes provide me with the opportunity of a new location to explore nature.  I was contemplating on visiting the field and the intact forest across it as a possible new birding site and idly taking photos of the area, when the Coyote just appeared before my lens, seemingly out of nowhere.  

Coyote 

At first I thought it was a dog, because all I saw was a head on view.  But then he turned sideways.  My day was suddenly complete.

Cautious Coyote

He must have come up and over the mound of dirt left behind by construction and seemed uncertain and cautious.

Moving along the side of the road

Coyote just before he disappeared

I only had a couple of minutes to take these photos, as he moved along and then disappeared into a hollow in the field that offered the shelter of some trees.  I can't wait to explore the area.  Who knows what else nature will show me there.

Enjoy,
Susan