pixie_lou: I'd go for the Loch Ness monster myself, a dwarf one, and I've heard they also slide like otters.

Nice pic of Henry looking very alert (watching out for the Loch Ness monster?)

Jane: That baby Albatross is adorable, a vibrating lump of feathers!

Your birds may be unhappy in a snowstorm, but my birds have been looking confused in rain all day. At least the birdseed wasn't getting buried, but the bluestone path was partly under water.

And a Song Sparrow decided to take a bath in the path a few minutes ago - hence the lack of light.

Claire

Pixie Lou - You are warmer than we are, but the turtles here hunker down in the mud and hibernate . . . I vote for Nessie or a big fish. Didn't you have some more symmetrical spots on the pond earlier this year?

Jane - Your cardinals made me think of the gorgeous photo of 6 or so cardinals that PL posted last month. The bright color against the neutrals is really nice. I have cardinal envy - we don't often have them, I think because we are near the northern edge of their winter range.

Claire - Oh, dear, I hope that it stays warm enough that all that water drains away rather than freezes. It would be an enormous amount of ice to have to chop. At least the birds are finding use for all that water.

nhbabs: This morning the path was all drained away.

This was another dope-slap lesson to me that all the careful grading in the world can be circumvented if I don't follow through with shoveling a channel to let the water continue out. I'd shoveled the gravel path so it was fine to walk on but it dammed up the drainage. Once the ice/snow melted the water ran out.

Claire

I have no photos to offer but had to comment on how much I enjoyed the wonderful photos and links that you folks have given us.

I look forward to more photos of winter's beauty .... even as I'm anxiously hoping for spring.

Molie

For Claire: HERE IS A LOCAL LINK TO HELP YOU

Here is a link that might be useful: Army Corp of Engineers

This morning, after another 4" of white cement on top of the 9+ yesterday, the birch tree was blooming Mourning Doves.

nhbabs: probably overkill, but there are more Cardinals on the link below IF you are interested. And another push for you getting bitula nigra close to your house for future bird feeding when you buy a camera.

Jane

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter 2014, Birds and Berries

Thanks, Jane, for the link to the Army Corp of Engineers. We know them well around here - they're the people who maintain the bridges over the Cape Cod Canal and keep causing traffic jams with bridge painting and reconstruction. If I decide to build a bridge over my bluestone path I'll definitely call them for a bid.

That's a great collection of pictures on your Flickr site.

Claire, who just saw that they've posted a Blizzard Watch for the MA coast for tomorrow.

According to the weather report I just heard, Claire, you folks on the Cape are going to get socked. Sorry :(

Jane - Definitely not overkill - really nice bird photos! And there is a river birch in my future, and berry bushes for the birds, but no feeders as I like the bears a bit further from the house. I used to have feeders, and I miss them, but I would need to leave the birds without food between when the bears emerge from hibernation and when there is a good natural supply here, and I am not comfortable getting them used to being fed, and then removing it too early.

For those of you scheduled for more precipitation this weekend, my sympathies.

nhbabs, I forgot about the bears. However, a birch, berries and a heated birdbath on a window height pole/ledge/pedestal, will bring similar photo op results - most of which are more interesting. The Hermit Thrush that now frequents my area, comes for the water mostly. He/she tried the chokeberries, but he choked at the bitterness and flew to the birdbath. Even Fluffy, the hawk, will come to the watering hole rarely, but I've seen him. I intentionally created an area to attract birds and walked back and forth from inside the house viewing the outside from both my office and the kitchen for bird viewing before planting the birch tree garden and other small gardens.

May be repeating myself, but in planning this area, the main tree had to have branches with thin and thick diameters to accommodate little and large feet and being planted only 20' from the house, it had to be a tree that would not kill the house if felled in a storm. That's why I chose birch, with Betula Nigra being the more disease resistant variety. And, a heated birdbath is far more economical than seed. Water being so critical, it is often not easily available when everything is frozen.

Claire, sincerely hope you and yours are spared during this storm and that the power stays on.

Jane

The power stayed on, surprisingly, even though there are many tree branches down.

One big pine branch is on top of two hollies and the copper birdbath. I managed to move it a little bit and refill the two rubber baths so the birds could have water.

A robin seemed to take it in stride.

Claire

Claire, that robin looks grateful. We have a single robin hanging around and I'm worried about it. Shouldn't it be with a small flock? We have bird feeders and more seed spread on the ground. The robin should be able to find shelter including under our barn.

Recently a wild turkey looked longingly at a few tiny crab apples left in a small weeping crab. I expected it might fly up to get them but it didn't.

defrost49: I've had one robin here pretty much every day all winter. I think it's here mostly for the water but it also eats birdseed and probably left over berries. Lately I've been putting raisins out too.

Early yesterday morning there was a flock of 15 robins passing through but they only stayed a few minutes, maybe looking for water. The heated birdbath was on but under a leaning rose and I hadn't knocked the ice out of the other birdbaths yet.

I haven't seen the solitary robin yet today but I expect it will be back. I mostly see them in small numbers in the winter except when the winterberries are ripe. It could be that there's just not enough food in any one place to sustain a whole flock and the robins split up to utilize whatever's available.

RE grateful robin: In mornings when the snow is covering the groundfeeding areas I look out the window and see frantic activity of birds trying to find food. I almost feel a collective sigh of relief when I go out with the shovel and the watering cans, and then the seed buckets. They then eat busily but without that desperate dashing around.

Claire

I just wanted to say that there are river birches in my future as well. I'm not sure I have ever seen one growing, but photos of yours Jane, as well as others posted on the tree forum, have spoken to me. This spring I will be adding some to this property. Their bark is so colorful!

Our land is crisscrossed with deer trails. I think they like the easy grazing that our snowblown walking path affords. They have been plainly visible out walking about under the bright moonlight in the wee hours while I'm out with the dogs. I probably should have tried to get a long exposure photo of them, but at that hour it always sounds insurmountable to get out the camera and tripod.

I notice more birds about these days. Probably they are starting to map out their territories and attract mates. That's a hopeful sign that spring may actually return.

This post was edited by spedigrees on Tue, Feb 18, 14 at 15:16

Spedigrees - Seeing river birches in person is what sold me on the idea of adding one. They grow in the tree fields of the former nursery farm south of us, and also at UNH where I work. They are graceful and move a lot when in leaf due to the delicate smaller branches, and the bark is just stunning all year. I'll see if I can get a few more photos for you. Seeing from Jane's photos how handy they are for the birds, is another big point in their favor.

That is quite a series of deer trails in your field and into the woods.

spedigrees: Looking at that wide open space and the deer trails makes me marvel at the courage of deer who expose themselves to predators by venturing away from cover. I guess that's why they mostly travel at night when they're not so visible (do they? I don't have much experience with deer).

Claire

NEWS FLASH: 11:18 this morning the Titmouse's song changed. Very noticeable. Now before I get reviews of being a whacko, listen intently the next time you're outside. It's 27 days till spring and the circadian rhythms of the birds has changed as have their songs. Heard the Cardinal yesterday. They're singing a different tune.

Jane

How many ways can dear Henry eat the suet? It's a special treat for him. Normally he can't reach the suet, but the wonderful snow piles have put the suet in reach.

Jane: I hear your optimism (and the birds' optimism too) and I really really hope it's justified. At least we have a few days of relative warmth ahead - live in the moment!

pixie_lou: There should be an Olympic suet eating event - Henry shows fine stretching and flexibility and grace in his endeavor - a worthy representative of his squirrel nation.

Claire

The turkeys are back! I hadn't seen them since mid-January and a month without turkeys is a great sadness. With all the snow and ice we've had, I wonder if they just hunkered down at the nearby gentleman farmer's place along with the guineafowl.

Anyway, early this morning they appeared and I postponed putting more birdseed out until they'd cleaned out what was on the ground and left. The regular smaller birds just perched in the shrubs and glared at the turkeys. There were about fourteen turkeys milling around. Eventually they moved out and down the road which still has some ice on it but is walkable.

And the fallen branches were appreciated - a way to get above the crowd.

Claire

So nice to see turkeys again, Clarie.

And Henry's antics in his quest for suet are amazing.

Oh, happy day! 'Bout time! This thread needs turkeys. Happy for you.

Pixie - that last shot of Henry is worthy of a gold medal. Excellent.

Just the usual clientele here.

Jane

Enjoying following your bird viewing and your photos of birds and animal tracks in the snow.

I also noticed the change in bird song/vocalizations. A sure sign that spring is not far away despite the continued snow accumulation. Juncos are still coming so will be awhile yet.

No turkeys but rabbits visit to clean up any birdseed on the ground. I notice most birds come at certain times in the a.m. and afternoon so scatter seed on the ground just before those times or the rabbits eat it all. Though cardinals are known as ground feeders they happily eat from my hanging bird feeder.

I use the same plastic heated birdbath which is used by many varieties of birds and the local squirrels. Somebody took a bite out of the side rim. Also took a bite from a previous one. The cold dry air causes the water to evaporate and if I don't get out every day to change the water it will be empty. The newer version has the tilt feature to empty. Occasionally I find it knocked over onto ground. Probably squirrels sitting inside trying to get the last drops.

Fewer deer around the last couple of years as more building in the area has led to habitat loss. Here in the suburbs they wander down the street day or night and move from one yard to another sampling what each has to offer.

Jane - all your photos of the birds in your river birch has made me really angry that I planted my river birch down by the pond. Once the tree grows, I'll have to buy a telescope to see the birds down there!

Nice to see the turkeys again Claire.

Blue Jays and birches are a nice combination, Jane.

mnwsgal: Any idea who or what would be biting a birdbath? I've never seen that here and the squirrels drink every day. I also refill the heated birdbath every day so it doesn't dry out.

Claire

Hi, mnwsgal - nice to see another birder from another frozen area. Will it ever end? Anyway, concerning the biting/gnawing of the plastic, yes, both squirrels and opossums seem to get a thrill cleaning their teeth on plastic. Don't ask me why, I'm not a possum. But they have woken me at 3AM when on my deck devouring and smashing flower pots. Maybe I should spray the pots with bourbon. If it doesn't deter them, at least they'd be happy and have an anesthetic for their gums. And, thank you for verifying the bird song change. You know it when you hear it! Certainly hope the birds know more than the weatherman. That guy has been a real downer!

Pixie - HD and Lowes here often have river birch in the spring for an okay price. Birch grow so quickly, it's not necessary to buy large trees. Mine has grown 14-18" a year since 2009 when planted. Max height should be about 40'. But as previously stated, birch won't kill your house in a storm the way maple or oak will, so it can be planted quite close.

Now Fluffy, the Cooper's hawk, has taken a liking to the birch (and the other birch inhabitants, naturally).

Jane

My Fluffy, what yellow feet you have!

and very sharp talons....

Claire

Great photo of the cooper's hawk! He seems a regular visitor.

Today we had an unusual visitor in the cornfield. I noticed a large bird perched on the recently dumped manure pile and initially assumed that it was a turkey, but it didn't look quite right. It was also being harassed by crows which only happens with birds of prey, so I got out the big binocs and it turned out to be an immature bald eagle. Eventually the crows harrassed her (I think since it was so large) enough that she flew to one of the large pines along the river, and then eventually farther down-river. Sorry no photos since she was so far down the field.

An immature bald eagle is indeed a special visitor, nhbabs. Do you see adults in the area, maybe along the river?

They're beginning to come back to southeast MA but not often seen. I think I saw an immature once when I was sitting on my deck. I heard a sudden frantic bird commotion and looked up to see the eagle stop in midair by a tree and then turn and fly off, leaving some terrified bird(s) in the tree. I'm not positive of the identification but it was the most likely one.

It felt like a gift to see it (as long as I'm not the prey).

Claire

I see several eagles a year (or perhaps the same few birds more than once), but I more commonly see adults. Usually I see them when I am actually in or on the water, so I am more likely to see them in the summer. They like the large pines along the banks for perching, and often will fly when something disturbs them. The other place I see a couple per year is driving on the highway (I-93) which runs along the river. They live here year round, and in the winter I think we most commonly see them when they are traveling from one stretch of open water to another.

Here's the only photo I got where she shows up at all, just above the tree line (sort of between two large pines) right in the center of the photo.

(sending telepathic message to nhbabs: Canon SX50, Canon SX50)

Speaking of eagles, the eagle cam at Berry College now has pictures of the baby eaglet that just hatched.

Here is a link that might be useful: Berry College eaglecam

It's always a pleasure to see a big fierce raptor being tender to a chick, feeding it (I don't want to know what the food is) and then tucking it in for a nap.

Claire

Last week, a flock of robins descended on my garden. All of the berries in the yard had already been stripped, all except for the Viburnum 'Wentworth' which had a moderate amount of large red berries dripping off it in early winter. I was starting to think there was something wrong with the berries because the birds were leaving them, but they evidently are starting to be ready to eat now.

This is the first year I've had enough berries on most of my shrubs to notice all that much if they were getting eaten. There were triple the berries on that 'Wentworth' than there were last year.

Claire, I tried emailing you the other day through Gardenweb, because I had this flock of about 12 robins and it appeared that they sampled the Viburnum berries and rejected them and some of them seemed to be a little frantic flying around the yard looking for something else. I had wondered if there was anything I could offer them, since they seemed so hungry. I've heard others say that the GW email system is just not working right, so I assume you didn't get my email. Anyway, I tried throwing some cut up oranges on top of the snow, but over the course of the day, I never saw them approach them. They did however finally start eating the Viburnum berries. And a few robins were back the next day to eat more of them. There's still a small amount of berries left on it.

I had about given up on any birds eating those berries, so I was pleasantly surprised. As I was watching them out the window, I had such a good feeling that my efforts to try to have a landscape that could feed birds through the year was starting to….. 'bear fruit' [g]. I tried to take photos, but they were too far away.

Thanks for the eaglecam link, Jane, and to nhbabs for the photo of one soaring between the trees. I'd love to see these birds with my own eyes... without having to get on a boat tour to do it.

Jane, your photos are always magnificent! I've bookmarked the "Jane is Here" link. You're absolutely right that the river birch is a great tree to have near bird feeders and in a yard. I think it's striking year round. It's a great stopping spot on a bird-feeder run, and the look of the peeling bark against winter snow is spectacular.

Posters have mentioned the change in birds' songs and so this morning I listened carefully for a few minutes before getting up. (We keep the bedroom window open at night when it's not so bitter.) There was a difference in the way that they sounded today. A hopeful sign of spring!

Claire, good to see that the turkeys are back. You mentioned that they probably "winter" at a nearby farm with the guinea fowl. Do the guinea fouls ever wander into your yard or are they too far away? My cousin kept a flock of them to control the ticks in her fields. They would go back and forth across the grasses like little lawnmowers as they looked for food. A neighbor near a former house also kept a flock. These would often wander across the street into the front yards of neighbors. Many times I had to slam on the brakes as they crossed the street in front of me.

Yesterday morning a mockingbird landed on the covered grill on the deck. No chance to grab the camera, but it was good to see him. My DH also he saw one weeks ago. Does anyone know much about their winter habits here in NE?

PM2: I didn't get your email. I checked my member page and the box is still checked off allowing people to email me, and I do occasionally get emails although not recently. I noticed that GW is no longer emailing me replies to my threads, so they may be having problems.

I've been putting out raisins and sometimes craisins for the robin that comes here almost every day. Something is eating them and I've seen the robin feeding in that area. I've also seen the robin feeding under the suet feeder so they like suet (I also put out suet nuggets for whatever wants them).

Molie: I once had a pair of guinea fowl appear in my yard but the female only lasted one night and the male stayed for a while but didn't survive or went looking for others. It turned out these were guineas that someone in the neighborhood kept buying and they kept disappearing. Too many predators here - I've heard that the farmer has lost many of his too.

These are some photos I took of the pair and others. Those first photos of the male on the cart were taken the day after the female disappeared and he was very angry and telling me so (he was looking in the window at me).

Speaking very softly so as not to jinx spring - I heard a red-winged blackbird singing in the yard today. There's a male who's been around for a while and I saw him again today, so he may be claiming my yard.

Claire

That was about what I figured, Claire. I haven't been getting emails with replies either.

Raisins, Craisins, and suet….good thinking, thanks!

Today the first small flock of red-wings appeared and they've been chowing down happily. They're all males - the females will come later.

Here they're joined by a few house sparrows.

I also saw the grackle again (second day).

Claire

There's hope.

Okay, maybe this American Goldfinch is ahead of the crowd, maybe not; but I undershot it and look at his spring yellow:

Jane (who, like most here, really needs to see grass and greenery)

This post was edited by corunum on Wed, Feb 26, 14 at 13:29

Opposable talons. Neat.

Jane

I'll have to look closer at my goldfinches - I don't think they're that color yet but I haven't really checked.

That's a great shot of Inspector Blue Jay investigating the case of the missing sunflower seed. Where'd the snack go?

Claire

Molie: I hoped someone else with more experience with mockingbirds would respond, but maybe my experience is common. I rarely see them, usually a few times a year around the time of general bird migration.

Apparently Northern Mockingbirds don't usually migrate, they stay year-round wherever they are.

Last March 23, 2013 this mockingbird checked out the food available:

A suet feeder:

The peanut/suet nugget feeder:

and I guess it wasn't pleased because I haven't seen any mockingbirds again since then.

"You'll have to do better than this if you want me to come back."

March is coming again, maybe a mockingbird will give my yard a second chance.

Claire

Those are great mockingbird shots, Claire. Looks as if he posed for you. A friend who lives in open farmland/meadows, sees mockingbirds daily. May be the 'lay of the land' that offers the right food for them. Seldom do I see them in my yard, but up the street among open fields, I see them flying from field to field.

For the past week or so, I've seen 20 Juncos (snowbirds) at a time bouncing under the feeder and chasing each other. This morning I saw this:

Jane

Those juncos probably aren't heading for Canada for a while yet, Jane. More cold coming for next week.

About twenty turkeys this morning - I have to try to get a video of them marching single file into the yard. I didn't have the camera ready in time today (no coffee yet).

It was cold this morning and the sun hadn't hit this section of the yard yet. Several turkeys were standing around one-legged and looking grumpy. Turkeys excel at looking grumpy.

Claire

Holy cow, Claire! A one legged turkey! If you make a movie of the single file turkey march, maybe the Colonel Bogey March would be good background music. Just sayin'... Hehehehe

Here is a regular visitor at the shop. DH took this photo of a barred owl yesterday. Last week he tried, but when his feet went out from under him as he was trying for a better angle, the owl decided to take off.

Nice owl! From the back I wouldn't have been able to identify it as an owl. It's amazing how similar raptor backs look - I guess that's a very effective camouflage pattern for a tree dweller. I wonder if sparrow backs work best in grassy environments.

I can empathize with your DH slipping while trying to photograph the owl. When I was leaving my NYC neighborhood I wanted to take a photo from the sidewalk of the Siberian Elm outside my window. While backing up I tripped on the railing of the building steps next door and almost fell into the stairwell. I managed to grab the railing and pull myself back up without damaging me or the camera but it was a close call.

Claire

Here's the front of the owl taken Friday through the cage on the forklift. DH was working with the wood pile, still in tree trunk form, and the owl sat and watched, waiting for unwary rodents to run out when disturbed. The owl tried to get one, but missed, and didn't seem to mind DH and the loud diesel engine operating nearby.

I guess it's like peregrine falcons nesting on bridges - all that traffic noise is irrelevant. The owl must have been watching your DH working for a while and it noticed and appreciated the effect on the rodents.

I don't want to interrupt discussion here but this thread is getting very long so I'll start a new one. No problem if people want to continue here.

Claire