Someone New.......................

The last couple of days we have had a new visitor. A tiny red squirrel. So dang cute. Still I know they can be trouble so I hope Bud next door doesn't spot him/her. It's been a chore to try and get a picture. He never sits still. He is like a bumble bee flitting hither and yon. Little head pops over the snowbanks to disappear and pop up the other side of the garden. I did manage to get a couple of pictures.

It's a wonder I got a couple of pictures that were not a blur.

He got a chunk of cookies. My last batch slid together when I put them in the oven, I could not be bothered to be creative with them and tossed them out for the birds. Well he looks like he is enjoying them.Or it could be Tristens left over peanut butter and chocolate sandwich. Bet is was, either way he got peanut flavour.

He is soon back on the other side and popping up and down again. He came to the deck once or twice but my camera was not ready.


The last few days
it's not been quite as cold. We have had loads of squirrels, Starlings and Blue Jays but the small birds not so much. I saw the Cardinals out front today singing and eating apples. He was probably drunk.
It was raining, sleeting and snowing first thing.

Didn't stop the squirrels. When it's time to eat it's time to eat.
I put out some bread and some left over baked beans. There will be trouble at the roost tonight because this guy really indulged. Bet he sleeps on the outside.


Could not resist one little Chickadee person who showed up looking cute

All for now...........I will be looking out for my new little friend at the feeders. Not sure if he will want to get that close but we shall see.

Sorry, More Crows..............

The crows come every day to see what I put out. No pretense any more. They hang out and wait. Or fly over when they see me outside.
I took too much meat out of the freezer one day this week. I had already taken out hamburger and some left over turkey from Thanksgiving. I made a stew with that and saved the hamburger. I was going to make some Salisbury steaks, got the mushrooms and everything else I needed. However. My husband finally brought up (from downstairs freezer) some foil wrapped object that turned out to be a ham on the bone. So, we had the turkey stew that night and the next. I then took half of the hamburger and gave it to the Crows........waiting patiently

Then they spy the goodies.

OMG this is the best ever they say.

Mum, why is you feedin dem birds and not us.


Some stand and eat, some take it off to enjoy


His mouth is so full and yet still trys to get more. His friends flew after him so maybe thats why.

In between, the Starlings are not adverse to some good meat

Notice in the one picture of the Crow flying off with his prize, he is dropping some. Well they come back and dig for that, they remember where it fell. Nothing is wasted. When I got the ham going I cut off all the fat and put that out for them. Boy have they had a good week.

A Different Kind of Visitor...................

Today was a full out blizzard on and off. The snow was so thick, blowing, that I could not see across the road. I cleaned and filled the feeders several times. At first no one was about, then in the grape vines lots of twittering started as the Chickadees got hungry. They love sitting in there in the shelter. Then the Blue Jay scouts announced that the feeder was full and they all came down with a whole flock of Starlings. I had to go out and refill. My Crow came to call and I caught 3 of them at the feeder. Wow, that has never happened and so I threw out 1/2 a loaf of bread. That was demolished in a couple of minutes flat. So out I go and refill. I got a lot of pictures.



The Crows had to be really hungry to actually come to the feeder. They sat in the tree very close by.



The woodpeckers were in and stuffing their faces. None of them are as cautious as they used to be.


Look at this little guy, and his tail.


The Cardinal actually came down today, he has been really skittish of late



The Starlings in this next picture reminds me of a scene in Interview With The Vampire. They are such pretty birds when you look at the individuals




Meanwhile inside, someone was in my way

I had to keep evicting her.

I was happy to see the Tuffted Titmouse come in today. They are such pretty little things.



Someone else was being a pest and came by to see if the feeders had been filled again. Yes for the third time today.

So it was a very big surprise to see a hawk sitting in my tree. It was snowing so hard that I didn't get too many good shots.



I saw him fly over later in the day. I loved seeing him and would love some better pictures but I hope he doesn't come back. I don't want him to eat my birds.The Junco likes to eat off the ground and there is always lots down there for him.

The Chickadee's are always here, faithful little things


I love it when I see someone different come in, and I love that they all know to come here. I love how they sound out the alarm that the feeders are full and within a few minutes they have cleared their plates.

Monday storm.................

These pictures were taken Monday. We had a snow day on Monday it was snowy but clear first thing and the birds came in for a time.

It got worse as the day went on.


I feel so bad for the birds when it gets really snowy and blustery. Our grapevines are a good place to sit and eat out of the wind. The bigger birds prefer the tree.

The Junco's are all puffy.

This is a good view down 9th st first thing in the morning.

Everyone likes the fat stuff, the peanuts and suet. I will have to go out as soon as possible to restock. Boy these critters are getting through the stuff. I know come Spring there will be one heck of a mess by the feeders. I expect the small rodents and things that live under the deck will enjoy a lot of the droppings. Thats why Boots (the cat) hangs out around there.

The same view down the road later in the morning and for the rest of the day, it just got worse and all the birds and squirrels stayed away.

The Mourning Doves hung around longer than the others, they don't like to give up.

The front trees heavy with snow, got more throughout the day.

Before that the Blue Jays were stuffing faces as full as they could, they knew what was coming.

The apple tree was heavy with fruit. I wish that the animals would eat more of them. I think that the birds do get a bit as I hear them in the mornings chattering in the tree


If the deer came this side of the main road into town they would LOVE these apples. They stay over in the woods mainly though. There is a very busy road a few blocks down with woods the other side. Its got a stream running through and is sheltered so they mainly stay over there. On rare occassions we get them in here. A few times the odd bear rambles through but I am never lucky enough to see any of that. I bet the bunnies like the wind falls though.