Saying "Goodby" to Winter

Here it is, the first day of Spring,

and I have yet to post any of my Winter birds.

 

The Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker is a bird

I do not see very often.  Usually it feeds on the ground,

but this winter it came to my feeders on my deck.

You can see the yellow under his tail.

 

 The Flicker can really blend into the bark of a tree.

 

Another bird I hear but don't see up close very often

is the Pilated Woodpecker.

 

 

The Tufted Titmouse are regulars year around.

I love seeing them in the Winter all puffed up to keep warm.

 




Opps!  I Missed Him.

The Downy and the Hairy Woodpeckers are regulars also.

Sometimes they wait patiently to take their turn at the suet.

 

 

The larger Hairy is waiting on the little Downy.

Well, maybe not too patiently...

 Another bird we see only in the Winter

is the little Snowbird--the Dark-eyed Junco.

The Goldfinch add a flash of color no matter what the season.

 

 

The Nuthatch and the House Finch

anxiously getting some food

on a Blustery Day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby, It's Cold Outside.

 

And what would Winter be

without our

Pesky Squirrels?

 

 

"I've learned to do this like the Woodpeckers!"

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Last but Not Least

this sweet little Carolina Wren.

I don't usually see them in the Winter,

but there it was searching for food in the snow.

 

 

New Birds-- ID?

Over the Christmas Holidays we were blessed to spend time with the families of both of our daughters, one in St. Louis and the other in Texas.

Our daughter and her husband in Texas recently moved to the hill country on the Southwest side of Austin.  When we visted them this past spring, they were living in the city and I hardly saw any birds; but now I was suprised to see many of the birds that I see here in Indiana at the feeder in thier backyard.  They had the Chickadees, the Titmouse, the House Finch, the Carolina Wren, the Cardinal and the Blue Jay.   Much to my delight, there were a couple of new birds I had never seen before.

The first I believe is a Western Scrub Jay. 

The second bird I almost missed. The sun in the morning was so bright it
was sometimes hard to see. I feel sure it is a Warbler. Maybe a Pine Warbler or a Yellow Warbler. If anyone has any better ideas, please let me know.

 

Their backyard does border a natural wildlife area.

We definitely heard the coyotes' howling very close at night.

They have seen a Road Runner in their backyard.

I missed seeing one, so I guess I will need to go back.

 

 

 

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas

 

We finally had our first snowfall.

Not too much....Just right.

 

 

Our cats have been very involved

with our preperations for Christmas.

 

Fraidy Cat helped get out the decorations.

 

 

Ezra thinks he "owns" the Christmas Tree.

In fact, he's been doing a little re-decorating at nights.

 



 

And Nehemiah, what can I say,

"Oh come, Let us Adore Him."

 

 

However, sometimes there is a little disagreement

over who should be doing the "adoring."

 

 

 

Nehemiah and Ezra

finally settled in for their "long winter's nap."

 

 

Watching for Santa, together..

or was that bird watching?

 

 

Maroon Bells - After 50 Years

 

 

We discovered Maroon Bells,

near Aspen Colorado,

when we were on our honeymoon.

 

 

 

Fifty years later,

Maroon Bells look just as great as ever.

We were just happy to be back again.



50th Wedding Anniversary

 

 

On April 21, Fifty Years Ago

 

    this Young Man

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   asked this Young Woman

 

 

if she would spend the rest of her life with him.

 

Obviously, she said, "Yes."

 

 

October 6, 1962

 

(Her precious mother made her wedding dress
from a picture in a bridal magazine.)

 

 They spent their honeymoon in Colorado,

and through the years returned to share the beauty of that place

with their children.

 

They were there for their 48th Anniversary

and hope to make a new memory

for their 50th.