When snow falls ~~~~~

In winter I like to sleep a little later but a couple of weeks back I actually set my alarm for 5:30am. Other than doing that to catch an early morning flight, it's probably something I've not done since getting up for the day's first game drive in Africa, or an early morning docking of the ship in some country in the world, the latter two happenings one doesn't want to miss.

How I miss those exciting days.

Knowing that the snow, if it had come that particular day, would be here around sunrise, then within an hour or so would turn into freezing rain and sleet for the remainder of the day, I wanted to be ready to get a few photos. I stepped out to get the newspaper, crunching through frosty grass. . . . . it was bitterly cold. The birds, mostly wrens, sparrows, cardinals and finches, were already hunting for breakfast. I spread extra seeds and nuts along the porch rail.  Over the years, many of my special bird photos have been shot from the window, the porch being a favorite place for visiting garden birds. 

The weather forecast was wrong. Not a snowflake arrived that morning........or any other time this winter so far.  

Last night, while trying to fall asleep, I found myself counting the places where I've lived in my now rather long life. Not so many compared to other ex-pats I talk with. While growing up in England I lived at three addresses in the same town from birth until moving to the USA just prior to my nineteenth birthday. That move was to be for just one year - a working visit with no plans to actually emigrate. That's what happens when a special someone comes into your life and changes your plans, your outlook, your entire future.  No regrets though. In sixty one years here I've only lived in four places. Washington D.C., New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. This last address has been my home for over forty seven years.  

My first American winter in Washington was a very cold one, especially when temperatures plummeted around Christmas. Not only did I see snow, I learned to ice skate - well stand up and take a few gliding steps - on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.  Frozen solid and not exactly smooth ice for a beginner, I fell down a lot!  

On moving to the New England states, winter was all about snowfalls. Mostly deep and never-ending for several months. Nor'easter storms often caused crippling blizzards. Plowed snow piled up in dirty grey heaps until the next fall made it look lovely again. I skated a little on outdoor ponds and a couple of indoor rinks, never becoming proficient, but loved to go to holiday ice shows, such as the Ice Capades in Boston. I also viewed a couple of Bruins ice hockey games, shivering and miserable in the cold of the now demolished Boston Garden, and anxious for all to be over.  

Raleigh is in the southeast and has a great climate...........most of the time!  Rather too hot, and definitely far too humid for this Brit in the height of summertime. Spring is beautiful, Autumn even better. Winter can be fickle. Yesterday when writing this, the afternoon was almost hot at 72F and the sun brilliant. Dog walkers passed wearing shorts, Bob was sunburned a little on his head after spending time in the garden without a hat!  I changed from a cozy sweater into a thin one while making vegetable soup over the hot stove! This morning it's cool again. Rain is pouring down This current season brought sufficient rain in January but apparently we'll get plenty more over the next few days.

We still haven't seen a single snowflake! I doubt we will.

Something in the winter air -

We've been treated to many beautiful sunrises during these winter months. 

I think today's stunning colors painting the morning sky were perhaps the 

loveliest to date. These really were the colors, I did not enhance them other

 than a wee bit of sharpening. I did throw on a robe and socks to hurry outside

 with a real camera while at the peak of color, and a better view than

 through a window. Sunrises don't last long!

The birds continued to hang out all day yesterday and are back

this morning.  

The Northern Mockingbird seems to have made itself at home. 

A quite large 10" bird, male and female are identical, and

 young males often sing at night and imitate other bird songs

 (vocal mimicry). Here in the Carolinas they are non-migrators

 enjoying insects, fruit and obviously seeds here on the front porch.

I've found them to be an easy bird to photograph as they stand still

long enough and are not skittish. 

I noted that the Mockingbird and Carolina wren seemed to enjoy being 
together - they are two of my favorite birds.

The cul-de-sac was a mess yesterday afternoon as vehicles turned the slush

into ruts and they froze overnight. This afternoon we are almost completely

clear of snow and ice - the temperature has warmed to a pleasant 50F with

 brilliant sunshine and blue skies.

Many thanks for the great comments on the bird photos of yesterday. 

I took so many - don't be surprised if more pop up here in the days

 to come!  I was happy to share them and I'm really pleased to know so

 many of you enjoy garden birds.

Off now to bake an apple and blackberry galette - we are cutting back

 on sugar and haven't had a real dessert for a week!

Come rain, come snow, come sunny mornings -

 

Our pair of beautiful Northern flickers are constant visitors. Several years ago I noticed them on the ground in the back garden. They had a youngster and the father was apparently training it on how to find and eat insects, ants and beetles being their favorite food, while the mother watched from the fence. They are the only woodpecker to regularly feed on the ground.

I fell in love with these spotted and striped woodpeckers that morning!  

Northern flicker - female - 12" brown and black woodpecker,

black necklace above speckled breast, red spot on neck

Male flicker, same except for a black mustache making

 it quite easy to distinguish.

Since our one dismal snow fall of this winter - just when a nice 6" would have been great as there was plenty of free time to play, build snow people, make snow angels, throw snowballs, and give housebound children, and adults, "something different to do" - the flicker pair have been devouring suet cakes which I stay busy replenishing. These could be their next favorite meal when insects aren't plentiful.  

Even as I write on this lovely morning, bright with welcome sunshine and the promise of a fine day with a high of 63F,  the pair of flickers are enjoying breakfast. The female seems really hungry, perhaps preparing to become a 'mom' this spring.

The male usually selects the nest site, taking up to 12 days to excavate. They have one brood per year, laying 5-8 white unmarked eggs, and both parents incubate for 14 days. Babies fledge in 25-28 days and both parents feed the young.

I hope we see babies this year.

I'm adding this photo to show the size of the woodpecker compared to the Eastern bluebird. They seem to get along fine together at the feeders, the bluebird usually sitting patiently waiting for a chance to nibble. . . . . . .

. . . . . . and this photo, showing the beautiful flash of golden wing and tail feathers displayed as this male flicker flies away with a bill stuffed with suet, under the watchful eye of the bluebird.  Here in the southeast, populations of these woodpeckers swell in winter when northern migrants arrive, and our own, being non-migrators, grace us with their presence year round. 

We really are so lucky. Nature is so generous.

All photos taken from my dining room window.

Life is a balancing act!

Eastern bluebirds

Male Northern flicker ~ Eastern bluebird

Female Northern flicker

 Male Northern flicker

Brown-headed nuthatch - Female Northern cardinal

Male Eastern bluebird

European starling

"Perching isn't easy - I could use a pair of those wings!"

Eastern Grey squirrel seems to enjoy the suet as much as the birds!

 All photos taken yesterday morning - as you can see our fig tree is a popular 

hangout for the garden birds and squirrels.

We are expecting rain later today so will take our now daily

 two mile walk this morning.  

Wishing each of you a good weekend wherever you plan to hang out!

Hummingbirds -

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Our resident pair were busy this morning.

This summer I hung a new feeder on the front porch for the visiting

 hummingbirds - thankfully no ants have found it. I use only sugar and water 

now, a clean batch every few days during the heat, none of that red tinted

 commercial stuff.

In summertime we always have a visiting pair, the red-throated one being the 

handsome male - of course they're both beautiful!

They're the most difficult birds to photograph due to their speed, but every now

and then I just manage to catch a few shots through the dining room window - 

after standing there for what seems eternity, camera at the ready, usually 

early morning or late afternoon.

Hundreds of kinds of hummingbirds nest in the American tropics, and more

 than a dozen in the western U.S., but east of the Great Plains there is only 

the Ruby-throat. Here in the southeast it is fairly common in summer in

 open woods and gardens. Hovering in front of a flower, or a feeder, to sip

 nectar, it beats its wings more than 50 times per second. Impressive migrants

 despite their small size, some Ruby-throats may travel from Canada to Costa Rica.

I love to see these tiny, busy birds in my garden.

It's raining figs!

They're sweet, tasty, healthy, and there are pounds and pounds of them 

ripening on the huge Celeste fig tree in our front garden!

Yesterday afternoon we had some heavy rain which lasted long enough

to give the parched garden a good soaking.  Longed for rain always

looks and sounds wonderful and it caused the temperature to drop

 by 20 degrees which was awesome! There was thunder and lightning

 but we were thankful the predicted strong damaging winds didn't 

accompany the rain.

Here's the tree in the rain - I noted many birds leaving the feeders 

and sheltering in the branches when the rain was heaviest.

People stop in their tracks when they realize this is a fig tree - it certainly

has become a talking point around the neighborhood.

Fig and Finch

I will definitely be pruning again in late winter when the branches are bare

and I can see where to remove old wood.  The tree is impeding parking

and walking up the driveway now!

This morning, the tree in the sunshine - and the grass looks greener since the rain.

Many figs end up such as this one - a meal for a bird!

Birds enjoying dining in the tree include many cardinals, finches,

robins, catbirds, and blue jays.

On the ground, enjoying fallen fruit, are mourning doves, brown thrashers, 

towhees, and of course the never ending visiting squirrels!

Glorious figs - summertime sweetness!