Second Snow

 The weather forecast said  the snow/ice would fall as the Alaskan chilly wind blew hard to our direction this weekend.   First day the streets became icy with less snow.  Next day it snowed more to cover the ice.  The highways were closed at some places.  Public transportation were mostly cancelled.  The mail truck and delivery trucks could not come.  And yet, rare birds came to see me.

"Hi, I am a Lincoln's Sparrow.  I wanted to 

find food where many little bird friends hung around."

Another rare visitor is a Varied Thrush.  She comes on a snowy day when food is hard to find.

Last year there was no snow so it did not show up at my place.  

"As always, I am very careful, but on a snowy day 

I know this place always has food for me."

On a Cloudy Day

 The spring blossoms are already in bloom.

It was cloudy when we stopped over at the wetland.  A Cackling Goose just landed on the water.  

"Hi, you just saw my fabulous landing."

At the far end of a pond, I saw Ruddy Duck paddling for the first time.

"Hi, I don't come here often, but it's nice to see you."

First Snow

For a week the morning temperature has been around freezing.  Even during the day, it only went up little.  So it snowed!

"I don't like snow.  It's hard to find food."

"I don't, either."

"I have to fill up my belly

quickly before it gets dark."

Day is Longer

On a clear day last week I went to the wetland.  No road was flooded, thank goodness.  The bright sunrise in the morning.

Not many waterfowls.  They might have left here since the spring is near.

February 12th is lunar Chinese New Year called "Spring Festival."

"Uum, we can smell the spring."

"It is almost spring.  I can eat these new buds."

"I am a young Red-tailed Hawk, and  I 

can feel the daytime is getting longer."

 

Similar, but Different

In the past three kinds of Chickadees have visited here.  They are Black-capped Chickadees, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, and Mountain Chickadees.  But most of  time I see the first two here.  The last one visits here only when they can not find  enough food in the mountains.

"Hi, I am black-capped Chickadee.  I live here 

nearby and come here everyday."

"Can you see my chestnut color on the back?  

I am a little smaller than the black-capped."

I have seen the Mountain Chickadees only one winter and it has been several years since.

New Year Scene

 There are plenty of birds in my backyard. 

Every two weeks I change the sugar water for hummingbirds.  Here is a male Anna's Hummingbird.

"Happy New Year from a bright headed one."

"HNY from me, too."

"HNY from a little quicky."  

"HNY from a busy masked girl."

HNY on a rainy day.  The day is longer now.  

Chinese Lunar New Year will be next month."

Happy New Year

The other day we returned to the wetland to see if the flood water has receded or not.  Luckily the water was gone, and we saw a couple of Bald Eagles on top of the tall tree, their favorite perching spot.

"Today is dry after many days of rain and clouds."

"It's the beginning of the new year."

"And we all support for the better year!"