Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Coffee Time #103. Happy Monday!
Good morning everyone! It’s a beautiful sunny morning. Though it definitely doesn’t feel like spring. Feels like winter. Yesterday we received an inch (2.5cm) of snow, which partially melted before freezing in the afternoon. That has left a layer of ice on the deck again. Still a bit of snow out there and lots of hungry birds on a cold morning. The temp is 19F (-7C) with a wind which makes it feel even colder. But the sun is shining right now, clouds and flurries return this afternoon. There are so many juncos out there now, probably close to 200, all hungry beaks to feed. And they eat those seeds fast too. Plus there are now several fox sparrows that have joined in.
I’m surprised that no other sparrows have shown up yet, even with it being cold. I was hoping Theodore might show up so I could get his picture in the sun to show off his beautiful colors. But he was nowhere to be seen today. He will probably show up when I’m out shopping later. There was about 15 grackles here yesterday, perhaps more and I have 6 gulls here now. This cold has brought in the extras. Those big birds can sure eat. All the regulars are here as well so it has become very busy outside. I’m going to try for a picture of those fox sparrows later this morning before the clouds move in. But it is kind of cold out there to be sitting still waiting for that good shot, but I’ll try anyway. It is getting late in the season, but they should be around for a few days anyway. They go much further north for breeding.
My poor chipmunks have gone back to bed again, that’s the second time. Smart little critters though, hide from the cold. Even Jasper hasn’t shown up yet, nor the other squirrels. They are starting to get their summer coats now so it’s getting a little hard to tell them apart unless they are up close. Freddie is almost as tame as Jasper now too, he and Jasper are almost identical in color. Good thing their tails are a bit different. Even with our cold weather, some plants have begun to grow, I’m going to try and get some pics this morning. It’s been a little hard lately to get some new pictures to share and because of the stay at home order here in our province, it will be hard this spring for getting new pics. Oh well, hopefully some pics will come to me instead. I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2021 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 
Yes, Hopefully, So this is the time you wake up 😍 and you type early this morning ? or type the story after you brush finish your work after shave 🤔 anyway, you are way too early to witness all your little critters 😅 beautiful picture.. as always.. 🤗 Grackle is so shiny 😍 Hopefully waiting for Theodore to show up😎 Have a lovely day ✨🤗💐
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Hey, the birds show up at 5:30am now,😳 so I get up at 5 and feed them at 5:30.😂 If it wasn’t so cold I would wait and feed them at 6, but right now they need that food early!😃🐦🦆🕊🦃🦉🐥 It’s daylight early these days and gets earlier every week. Doesn’t look like Theodore will show up now, maybe tomorrow.🤔🦃 Have a nice evening!😁🌙
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Sorry to hear it’s still very 🥶
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Thanks, but eventually it will get back to spring weather, but it might be May before that happens!😃🌞😸
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😞
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Have you seen the moon recently and do you think moon cycles affect the cycles of nature including plants and animals …?
Some farmers plant seeds when the moon face is getting more lit up …
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The moon does seem to affect things for sure. The moon is mainly out during the day right now so it’s not too noticeable.
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Coffee Time #103. Happy Monday!
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Thank you Cathy!
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Great pics ! We do not have a variety of birds like you do, so it is good that you share the ones you have with us ! ☕️☕️😺🙂
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There is a lot around right now, they’re being held back by the cold weather. Once it warms up they will be gone quickly. Thanks so much!😀😺☕☕🌙
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The grackle is so beautiful with his blue head! Beautiful photo! Hope it gets warmer soon at yours. Have a great week! 🙂
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Thank you so much! Yes, they are very beautiful, some have the blue heads and some purple. Yes, I’m waiting for some warmer weather, maybe by the end of the week. Have a great week also!😀😺☕☕🌞
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Steve, I enjoyed stopping by. There is always something happening, even when another dose of winter interrupts spring’s refreshing flow. Stay safe up there!
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This up and down weather is a bit unusual, normally it just stays cold and warms up about now. It is holding up the migration though so we have a lot of birds right now. Thanks! Have a great evening!
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I’m impressed that you can tell one squirrel from another. I guess I’ve never taken the time to look closely – they all look the same to me!
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It can be hard sometimes until they come up close. Freddie and Jasper are very close, Chase is a darker brown so he is easy. And now that they are changing to their summer coats it is really hard to tell Freddie and Jasper apart, even close, and Freddie is just as friendly as Jasper now too. Chipmunks can be even harder, they are more uniform in their colors than the red squirrels. But tails are helpful, as are their faces up close.
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you’ve got quite the eye!
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Doing all those bird studies really helped in picking out small details, which helps with the squirrels and chipmunks too.
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ok, that makes sense… Helps to pay attention to the little details…
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Yep, it was good training for a lot of things.
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I’m sure it was…
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