Warming for Christmas

Well it's finally going to be looking a lot like Christmas this week. 3 days of snow in the forecast with above seasonal temps should allow some of the birds to come out and play that have been avoiding my yard like crazy.

The occasional starling has made an appearance...and used the bird bath no less...got my windows filthy. I've inadvertently scared off a woodpecker when I went out to fill up the feeders on a different day. So while I haven't seen a bluejay I have had glimpses of something else.

Yesterday in the neighbours tree about 3 houses down I saw a chickadee...they're getting close! I just have to figure out a way for them to come here! I don't think it'll happen in the back feeding area...the house sparrows have taken that area over completely.

Maybe I should put out another feeder somewhere...maybe the front? But then I fear that the sparrows would take over that as well. SIGH. Ah well I shall sit and enjoy some of this Christmas wonderland I woke up to this morning. Hors Frost EVERYWHERE!

I'm contemplating heading out to get some pictures, but really when you have one...

Chickadees and Nuthatchs

Well since the birds in my yard are down to the House Sparrows, I decided to take my camera along to the dog park to catch some of the oh so tame Chickadees and Nuthatches...

I believe I succeeded!

December 14th, -40'C and the Bald Eagle's still here

Well the title of this post pretty much sums it up. It's almost the middle of december and the the temperature's dropped to - 40'C with the windchill and the Bald Eagle is _still_ here. On the drive to the mall I spotted the eagle cruising the fields looking for a snack. It's just crazy how migration's been so delayed this year.

Most of the birds that take off in October were still here up until 3 days ago...that's almost a 2 month delay!! I haven't seen the Starlings, Bluejays or the woodpeckers since the icewave hit...maybe they'll show up once it warms a bit...or maybe they're just done for the year.

Either way it's been a great year for birds...the heated bird bath seems to be confusing them a bit...there were actually sparrows bathing this morning! The dust bathing has continued as there's not much snow to speak of...the quarter down on the patio seems to be the favourite spot...and that's about it!

A flock of starlings

I'm still surprised that there's anything other than House sparrows hanging around as it's already December. The starlings have shown up in vast numbers in the last few days which make me wonder if they're getting ready to take off. There been 12 at any given time in my yard between the feeding stations and the trees.

They seem to have taken great pleasure in the heated bird bath and the suet. The bluejays are still making an occasional appearance as well as the woodpeckers (hairy), so I'm pretty much in a holding pattern.

The other day on my morning walk I noticed that the chickadees were extremely active and busy. It was such a lovely serenade...I stopped to watch them play in the trees (much to my puppy's dismay). I wish they would make their way over to my yard, but my guess is until the trees get bigger that's not going to happen as the house sparrows chase everybody away :(

The seed is running low so the birds are mainly on clean up duty these days...we've just gotten out first dusting of snow yesterday so I'm hoping they'll clean up the yard a bit!

The sparrows are water bathing...and it's November 28th

What a crazy day!

My hubbie pointed out to me yesterday that the house sparrows were full on bathing in the birdbath...not just one...but 5! I've never seen that many in at one time and the fact that there was another dozen waiting in the wings made it a sight to see.

I first thought it was raining as the patio doors were totally speckled with water and the top step was soaked...upon seeing the large group bathing I realized it was just them making a huge mess!! It was hilarious!

This morning however I woke up to a dusting of snow everywhere so that probably won't happen again...unless it all melts today!

I just can't get over the fact that they were water bathing and it was almost December! This weather we're having is crazy!! Almost December and there's no snow?!? Birds water bathing? In Winnipeg??? LOVE it!!

Bald Eagle pair spotted

On the weekend I happened to be out walking my dog when I looked up and over our lake that's in the centre of the development there were 2 bald eagles cruising looking for some breakfast! The wings span caught my attention, then the white underpinning and then the white head confirmed it.

I was so excited that they're still hanging around! I haven't seen them like I did last year so they're hanging out farther away this year (last year they were about 1/4 km down the road from my house in an open field.

Hopefully I'll spot them again on a day when I have my camera ready but we'll have to wait and see!

Dull, Dull, Dull

If there's a time of the year I hate it's now. So spoiled from all of the birds seen for the last 6 months, now it seems so slow and boring. I've taken hundreds of picture of bluejays and almost equally as many of the woodpeckers.

At least once the snow hits it's not too bad but we're in the middle of a heatwave here. Almost the end of November and the daytime temp is +10? Ridiculous!

I know I won't really have any new sightings this winter but I still have hope. Our neighbours cut down the tree's in their yard this summer so now the hope of the tall maturish tree's drawing them in is obsolete.

What I wouldn't give for them to put in an evergreen tree!

Don't get me wrong I love the warmer weather..norms for this year are about -10...last year we were at -30 at this time...so I'm really happy that winter is waiting to show up...ironic since we had snow for Thanksgiving weekend.

The birds don't seem to mind it either. I've had to be vigilant about cleaning up the seed off the ground though, since the Raccoon encounter but all in all nothing challenging about that. Still no chickadees or nuthatches...on this side of the development anyways. I heard the nuthatches on our afternoon walk yesterday...I guess they too shall come in time.

All in all...very boring around here.