Bluebirds in a Snowstorm!

After my success with pictures of a Robin and Song Sparrow a few days ago, I headed out on the morning after our snowstorm to see if I could get more bird pix.  I could hear a lot of birds calling, so I was hoping some of them would be close and co-operative.  Didn't happen, pretty poor pictures, but I did successfully document several other species.  Given that there was 6-8" of snow I was still pleased.

I thought these were just Chickadees.  All the birds just looked black through the camera against the white sky.  It wasn't until I started editing these on the computer that I caught the flash of blue and took a closer look.  They're a pair of Bluebirds, in the middle of our snowstorm - astonishing! 

We also had a Song Sparrow at the feeder!  I've never seen a Song Sparrow at a feeder, but there was a pair of them searching for nibbles.

Tramping through the deep snow after digging out my winter boots again, I walked around the corner where there was a loud flock of Red-wing Blackbirds that have been back for some time.  Now these were definitely just black birds against the white sky, and they are all males, who return first.  But you can see a small yellowy flash on the wing of the first bird above.

I had also heard a lot of Blue Jays, but they stayed at a distance for any pictures.

Some of the Goldfinch at the feeders are turning bright yellow.

And a few days ago we had a pair of Mourning Doves on the ground under the feeder, but they haven't been back.

Then I finally got a picture of a Turkey Vulture circling over the white landscape.  This is the usual view of them, a shallow black 'V' shape high in the sky.

They rarely flap their wings, just soaring endlessly, but in today's harsh northern winds, this vulture was flapping those huge wings frequently.  And it dropped down quite closely over my head.  I was pleased with this picture.  That's the best I can do for a few critters just now.  Expecting this snow to be all gone in two days with our rocketing temperatures!

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That Dang Texas Low!

Well, the weather forecast was right this time, and that moisture laden Texas Low coming up from the gulf bumped into our cold northern air, and passed over our slightly higher elevations, and changed to snow - quite a lot of snow!  Last night driving home from further south the last 20 miles were a seriously nasty blizzard.

Of course I've already started to clear out the garage for summer, and only one car could be sheltered from the storm.  (I'd already sent the snowblower away for the summer switch to lawnmower deck too).  We got our forecast 15-20 cm. (6-8 in.).

I knew it was a bit early to put out the deck chairs and table, but there they were.  The snow blew around a lot with the strong winds, leaving it blown to very little in corners, and over a foot in other drifts.

Could have been taken in January!   I got out and walked down the unplowed road a ways; a selection of interesting pictures I captured follows - just in case you haven't had enough of winter!

It turned sunny by noon, and warmed up well above freezing, so the snow is melting fast.  It's still several inches here though, so it will take a few days.  But it's supposed to be over 20°C by Monday, so it will vanish soon.  This too is April here in Grey Highlands!

Blue Skies

Still on that walk in the woods I've been describing, I looked up and realized there were some beautiful patterns of blue sky and clouds passing over behind the trees.  So I grabbed a few pictures on the rest of my walk.

Been away all day today and just got home - driving the last 20 miles through a nasty blizzard with heavy northeast winds and blowing snow.  This is a shrub outside the front door in the house lights - iphone camera couldn't focus very well, but I know you were all waiting to see if we actually got this snow.  Well, we did; the world here is white again.  We'll see how much in the morning!  The forecast was right ..... but this too is April!

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Walk in the Woods, Part II

Well, we did see the sun briefly this morning, but it's dark and cloudy now and the rain is approaching.  Check out our delightful local forecast below.  Lots of pictures tonight, but I already cut out half - can't cut any further!

I left the first pine plantation that I described in yesterday's post, passed this big old White Ash tree, and headed into the second block of White Pine.

Most of the White Pines here seemed quite healthy.  The thinning several years ago has done it good.

There are several sinkholes in this property, where the water finds its way through cracks in the limestone below, leaving a depression on the surface.  This is one of the smaller ones, about 6 feet across and 4 feet deep.

It was an easy walking trail all the way through, though there isn't enough snow any more for the cross-country skiers.

But at the end of this you come to a small stand of Red Pine, in terrible condition.  These trees are nearly 40 years old, tall and very thin, and dying.  They should have been thilnned 20 years ago.

Many of the standing trees are already dead.  The forester's advice was to clear cut it and start afresh!  Luckily it's a small patch.

Leaving the pines I stepped into the beautiful deciduous forest, passing this big old Sugar Maple stump I've stopped at many times before.

It's mostly Sugar Maple, but there are also several huge old American Beech.

Unfortunately they're all subject to a disease caused by yet another invasive fungus.  But I liked the colours in this huge broken tree trunk.

There are 2 or 3 acres here that are some of the nicest deciduous forest along the entire Bruce Trail (marked by the white blazes).

One of my favourite big old forest giants, one of the tallest, straightest Sugar Maples I know.

More animal tracks too.  Here some very fresh tracks of White-tailed Deer.

And I'm pretty sure this one is a Coyote, also quite fresh.

The trail follows the top edge of a steep slope, and 40 or 50 years ago the farmer had fenced off the pasture so the cattle wouldn't head down the hill.  The forest has been growing a long time since then, and the fence is mostly dilapidated.

After that it was just a nice walk through the rest of the woods back to the car.  A beautiful late winter walk in the woods.  As for the local forecast.......

See that "10-15 cm" in the centre of the map?  We live right under the "15".  And there's been one change in the map tonight; it now says "15-25 cm"!  Wish us luck while winter revisits again!

And keep your moisture-laden Texas lows down there in Texas where they belong, not up here bumping into our nice cool northern air where they bring snow instead of rain!

April Weather and a Walk in the Woods

Well, it rained on and off all day, and though we may see some sun briefly tomorrow, by Thursday and Friday it's supposed to be snow!  I'm running out of current blog pictures, so come with me on a walk in the woods that happened 3 weeks ago.  We'll just pretend that this week's weather isn't happening, and step back into mid-March, with an inch or two of snow on the ground.  At least it was a sunny day.

I was wandering through one of the Bruce Trail properties where I'm a Land Steward, keeping an eye on things.  It's two-thirds forest, and one-third old fields, but I stuck to the forest, which has some extra trails for cross-country skiing that are easy to follow.

There were lots of little Beech trees, this one growing well in the thinned pine plantation. which I was glad to see.

Perhaps the highlight were the animal tracks.  I think this broken tunnel under the snow is a Meadow Vole.  Barely enough snow for the tunnel!

This one I'm not so sure about, though I remember thinking at the time that it might be a Porcupine out for an early spring explore.

The first part of the trail headed through a White Pine plantation which we had thinned 3 years ago.  You can't see it easily, but there are now a lot of young deciduous saplings, which was the point of the thinning.

Lots of cut logs still on the ground.  We had them cut dead trees and leave them on the ground if they were within falling distance of the trail.  I was actively looking for close-ups and different things to photograph, trying to be creative in recording my walk.

Some nice deciduous forest too though, including this old dead Sugar Maple now riddled with woodpecker holes.

Walking down the trail this American Elm stood out, not affected yet by the Dutch Elm Disease.

It's buds were already swelling three weeks ago.

And on one pine stump, covered in moss that glowed bright green in the sun, a tiny White Pine seedling.  Yes, that's a baby tree growing in the moss, not just a fallen twig.  It will take me another couple of days to share the rest of this walk, but that should take me past the rotten April weather of the next three days and then perhaps I can get some new pictures to share!