Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Daily Pics #322.
Good morning everyone on this snowy and cool Sunday! It’s not really a lot of snow, about 2 inches (5cm) more to add to our total. Plus there was some freezing rain overnight as well. And it’s supposed to keep getting colder throughout the day and get back to somewhat more normal winter temps for this time of the year. It already feels cold out there, very noticeable as I was out shoveling snow this morning. I was busy inside yesterday morning and suddenly heard the familiar sound of chirping evening grosbeaks. So I went to the window right away and sure enough there was about 20 of them, nearly all males except 3, all trying to get in that new feeder together. That didn’t work too well though. It comfortably seats 8 at the new restaurant, but can fit 10 if necessary. So they had to settle for taking turns, which they did regularly. Of course this did result in a few, um, discussions about who was first in line and who gets the tables by the windows, that sort of thing.
But overall I think it went very well. The grosbeaks stayed until the restaurant was out of food and when the delivery person brought more out, they all flew away. But at least they stayed for quite awhile this time and there were no rock doves to bother them, which was also very nice. So I hope that means they will be back again. If so I will have to open a second restaurant location nearby. Or if the rock doves stay away then I can begin using the main larger restaurant again. That would be nice. Just have to wait and see. Jasper also found out about this new restaurant yesterday afternoon and I spotted him sitting right in the middle of it feasting away on the sunflower seeds. Now if only the redpolls would find it, they would have a nice safe place to eat as well. And there is room for quite a few of those little birds.
Well, it’s Sunday, so today we have some nice bright flowers to enjoy. Beginning with a nice tea rose as our featured image. Then we have two different colors of hollyhocks, bright and beautiful. I hope you have a nice sunny Sunday and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
Daily Pics #321.
Good morning and Happy Saturday to all of you! It’s a bit milder this morning than it was yesterday, but still feels cold. The humidity is high still so that always makes things feel colder once the temp gets below freezing. Apparently once the temperature goes below 50F (10C), then the humidity will make it feel colder. Its a quiet morning at the feeders, not much activity at all. That’s a bit odd. Usually first thing in the morning is a busy time, birds are normally hungry after a long night. Even Jasper hasn’t shown up. The blue jays are here however, though not as many. Same with the chickadees and one nuthatch. Those chickadees were sure busy late yesterday afternoon. I haven’t seen that many around yet this winter. They certainly like that new feeder I put up the other day. I haven’t seen any redpolls use it yet, but I’m hoping. It will just take one to find it and the rest will join that one very quickly. I sure hope the grosbeaks come back, but those rock doves scared them away again yesterday.
Those birds can be mean. Speaking of the rock doves, they just came flying in again. They sit in the trees all morning waiting for a chance to get at any food that might come out. I only put food out where they can’t get it now. But they still come down and scare away the other birds. They must be getting fed somewhere else in the afternoon. But that makes it harder to get rid of them. I might have to give up any thoughts of getting my grosbeaks back again this winter. Too bad really. They provide some nice photo opportunities for the winter. We don’t have many different birds during the winter, that are easy to find anyway. Right now I have 7 different species coming to my feeders. And today, as I mentioned, we have some pics of one of my favorite birds, the gray jay. This is a bird that looks and acts much differently than other jays. These birds are naturally friendly and fun to have around. Males and females look alike, and they are not colorful like other jays and yet they have their own beauty. Thank you for joining me today. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
