Mrs. Flicker is in a panic.
“Did you say the ‘S’ word? Did you say snow?”
The Steller’s jay mouths off as usual.
“Oh, I highly doubt that!”
The rufous-sided towhee is trying to be cool. Soon he’ll wish he weren’t quite so cool.
“Now what did I tell you about that? Getting the flocks all alarmed over something that may not even happen?!”
The hummingbird, also rufous, is hungry.
“I’m not taking any chances. Anneli doesn’t put this food out just because she’s bored. I think she’s trying to be sure we don’t starve.”
The chestnut-backed chickadee gets busy, eating all he can.
“Me too! I’m eating my breakfast to build up my strength. It’s dee-dee-dee-damned c-c-cold and it might snow.”
Above him, the nuthatch is getting impatient.
“Will ya hurry up, Chickie? There’s not much time before that hog, the starling moves in, and I haven’t had a turn at the suet block yet —– Oh too late. Here he comes, the bully!”
The starling isn’t shy. Far from it!
“Errr-hem! Move out you little squirts. That suet is mine, all mine.”
The golden-crowned sparrow does his best, singing about spring, but finally I heard him admit,
“I don’t think it’s working. I might have to move south — and fast!”
I hope the birds are wrong, but it sure feels like it will snow. I remember how cold and snowy it was last January, so I have plenty of birdseed and suet on hand, and of course I have walnuts and sunflower seeds for Lincoln and Della.
Last January! Brrrrrrr….
But someday it will be spring again.
(No, don’t get excited. This photo is from last May. I just wanted to remind myself that this cold weather won’t last forever.)
January 9, 2020 at 2:06 am
I’m soooo ready for spring. I just love that little nuthatch nugget!
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January 9, 2020 at 9:18 am
They’re really fun characters. Much like the chickadees, they’re not really shy of people and seem to tease us when we’re around them.
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January 9, 2020 at 2:17 pm
Yes, they seem quite social.
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January 9, 2020 at 3:04 am
I love the bird photos. 🙂
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January 9, 2020 at 9:19 am
Thanks, Lynette. You can see that I have a lot of outside feeding to do. It hurts me to see them suffering in the cold and I want to keep them fat and happy.
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January 9, 2020 at 4:08 am
Pretty 🙂
Life is Good !
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January 9, 2020 at 9:19 am
Tnx, Hans. I love having birds around.
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January 9, 2020 at 5:10 am
Very nice photos of birds, at the feeding place and none that I know from home.
Thanks for showing.
Regards Werner
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January 9, 2020 at 9:21 am
Thanks, Werner. Isn’t it interesting that different regions (even with similar climates) have different kinds of birds? We have several more types but I didn’t get pictures of them yet.
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January 9, 2020 at 6:47 am
Ever so beautiful bird pictures!
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January 9, 2020 at 9:22 am
Thank you, Pit. They’re feeding furiously. They always know when cold weather is coming.
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January 9, 2020 at 8:05 am
Wonderful photos of these little sweeties, Anneli!! 🥰
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January 9, 2020 at 9:23 am
I love birds. Even when we spent winters dry camping in Baja, I put out bird feeders.
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January 9, 2020 at 9:27 am
You were in Mexico?
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January 9, 2020 at 11:13 am
Many times.
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January 9, 2020 at 12:30 pm
I’ve never been considering the violence from drugs and illegals crossing into the States.
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January 9, 2020 at 1:21 pm
This is why we don’t go anymore. We had been there often but it was getting worse and worse. Then, when a German tourist we had met on the beach next to where we stayed was murdered (machetes) we thought – meh, who needs that? There are other places to go.
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January 9, 2020 at 8:48 am
Those pictures are so very good. We have completely other birds around here. But I don´t know them by name. Thanks for sharing!
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January 9, 2020 at 9:17 am
That’s what make them fun to share. There are different birds in every region.
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January 9, 2020 at 10:25 am
Your photos are wonderful!
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January 9, 2020 at 11:14 am
Tnx. I have good subjects.
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January 9, 2020 at 3:00 pm
Sweet visitors. I haven’t seen that variety of chickadee before.
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January 9, 2020 at 3:09 pm
That’s the main type we have here.
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January 10, 2020 at 12:21 am
Anneli, this is a delightful post and I love all the bird photos! I’ve been reading about chickadees but had no idea what they looked like! Ahh … so small and cute! Oh yes, Spring, please come … or failing that snow! 😀 Here dull and grey all winter! Your last photo is stunning … what amazing hydrangeas and just imagine, not too long now!
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January 10, 2020 at 6:40 am
I’m glad you liked my last photo, Annika. Actually, they’re rhododendrons, but I can see they would look similar to hydrangeas. These two usually bloom in May. Only four more months! Today our forecast is for snow while at the moment we have wild winds and pelting rain. Crazy, isn’t it?
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January 10, 2020 at 8:12 am
You have hummingbirds this time of year? Wow! I love your bird photos, Anneli. They are gorgeous. I’ve seen those bright blue jays in the mountains recently and meant to look up their name. Thanks for that!
Happy Friyay!!
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January 10, 2020 at 8:36 am
It seems as if the hummingbirds have only started staying for the winter in the last several years and even then there are only a few diehards. Most seem to head south. I wish these three had flown south. We are in for some cold weather in the next week or so. I just hope they survive it. The Steller’s jays too, have begun staying around. We used to only see them in the fall when the hazelnuts are ripe. They would clean us out and leave. Now they are here all year. Enjoy your weekend, Susie.
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January 10, 2020 at 5:20 pm
They love your home like my owls!!
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January 10, 2020 at 5:24 pm
We have owls in the neighbourhood too, and I love to hear (and the odd time to see) them, but they would kill my squirrels in a heartbeat. What a shame that animals have to eat each other. We humans do our share of meat eating too.
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January 10, 2020 at 5:37 pm
We sure do! Nom nom nom….
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January 10, 2020 at 6:27 pm
🙂
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January 12, 2020 at 11:39 am
Beautiful photos of birds (and squirrel). It has gotten cold. We’re still waiting for the snow to start. 🙂
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January 12, 2020 at 1:18 pm
We had a dose of it this morning but it didn’t stick at the lower levels. The hills are whiter though. Temperature drops a lot tonight. Feed your birds!
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January 12, 2020 at 1:27 pm
🙂
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January 14, 2020 at 10:45 am
Charming!🙂
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January 19, 2020 at 4:55 am
So beautiful!! You are a master photographer, Anneli.
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January 19, 2020 at 10:56 am
Oh no, Jennie. I’m not, but I would like to be!
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January 10, 2021 at 5:16 pm
great photos!
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January 10, 2021 at 6:05 pm
Thank you.
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