Day 18.039: FeederWatch x StormWatch

Here are some bird pictures from a Sunday and Monday that were mostly defined by clearing snow and recovering from clearing snow.

Mourning dove unhelpfully on top of the feeder

Downy woodpecker showing both his small beak and black spots on the outer tail feathers (both distinctive vs the hairy woodpecker)

What did the crow say to the other crow?

Day 18.038: Storm out

I had several inches of snow to move again this morning. Although we had some sleet (ice pellets) mixed in, the majority of the precipitation fell as snow and we had no noticeable freezing rain. All told, the storm dropped about ten inches of snow here on top of what we already had from weeks of storm after storm. Exile #3 noticed what looked like a weird optical illusion around the rim of the birdbath - in fact she was just seeing the water underneath the ice-rim which appeared to be levitating slightly.  Here’s a video to try to capture the effect. 

It has - as predicted- been rather windy all day today and we’re glad that the trees don’t have the extra stress of a layer of ice while they are dealing with the wind.

Day 18.037: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #513

Exile #2 writes...

The snow started last night and has been coming down all day. We, along with most others, hunkered down and kept off the roads. There is still opportunity for more chaos with freezing rain tonight, followed by high winds tomorrow but fortunately, tomorrow is a public holiday so none of us has to go anywhere. We decided to brighten our evening with a virtual trip to the theatre, and gathered to watch Waitress, the Musical, which was fantastic and a suitably cosy way to spend the evening together.

Our front steps after the second round of snow clearing today

Day 18.036: Pre-snow crows

As I write this, we have a new coating of snow which is expected to turn into several inches - probably mixed with some ice by the end of the day tomorrow (Sunday). Earlier, we took advantage of the calmer weather to take a walk at the cemetery and see what we could see to add to the Great Backyard Bird Count.

Our final tally was not bad, but the main event were the crows. There was a large group gathering noisily at the top of a few trees and then moving - mostly en masse - to another tree top. Twice I counted 34, so I suspect there were probably 40 or more.

Some of the crows

A bluebird on a bare branch

Day 18.035: Glazed

The messy storm has put a shiny coat of ice on top of the snow-pack. The next storm will probably bring another layer of snow and likely another layer of ice on top. In the meantime, here’s some ice in more interesting formation today just outside our front door.

Day 18.034: Unaffected

Our storm today brought us an inch or two of snow, soon weighed-down by first sleet (ice pellets) and then some normal liquid rain as temperatures just peaked above freezing briefly. This being Maine, life went on pretty much as normal throughout.

On another note, I was thinking about the fact that some birds are very much affected in terms of finding food by a thick blanket of snow on the ground and some are relatively unaffected:

Downy woodpecker on a small tree limb

I'm sure the cold affects their food source somewhat, but snow - not so much.

Day 18.033: Feeder watching in the snow

Here are some more photos from the last storm. We have another one coming in tonight.

Finding dropped food in the snow...

...can result in...

...a snowy nose

The bluebirds found a way to get to the water

Five crows have been visiting often since there has been snow on the ground. They can't get onto the feeder, but join the squirrels to gather what is dropped and otherwise sit in the branches above.

The starlings still come regularly...

...and often bring...

...the...

...drama

Day 18.032: Tired

I think it’s fair to say that I got through the day okay despite being quite tired after a snow-clearing day on Sunday followed by a work-and-gig day on Monday. Nothing much else to say about today, but here is a sunrise from one day last week. 

Now I should probably get some sleep. 

Day 18.031: Phantogram

It's hard to believe it was five and a half years ago we last saw Phantogram at the House of Blues but indeed it was in September of 2019 (or Day 12.239 if you prefer) - just before the world came to a screeching halt due to the pandemic.

Tonight they (and Exile #2 and I) were back there. Now with five albums rather than three to draw from they packed a great set of nearly two hours with hits and new songs and a few deep cuts. It was a great evening and well worth a late Monday night and a drive to Boston and back.

I only recorded one short video - this wonderful moment from "Answer"  

Day 18.030: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #512

Exile #2 writes...

We weren’t sure what we would wake up to this morning. The weather forecast had predicted anything from 4-11 inches of snow. That’s quite a range from a shoveling point of view. Turns out It was definitely at the 11 inch end of things. As a consequence, Exile #1 and I are pretty sleepy this evening and are dozing off during the last quarter of the Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, Exile #4 is enjoying temperatures in the 90s (30s) every day. Last time we spoke they admitted they’d forgotten what it feels like to be cold. Our brains are funny like that, aren’t they? I know one day I will be happy to leave the house without my “big coat” but right now I can’t imagine it!

Day 18.029: A watchful eye

Here is a red-tailed hawk looking back over our backyard from a tree a few rows deep into the woods the other day. 

We are also keeping a watchful eye on the weather forecast this evening. We’re expecting more snow any time now - maybe 6 inches by the time we wake up tomorrow and maybe another inch or so through the morning.

Day 18.028: At the feeder in the snow

Some more pictures from yesterday's snowfall.

The crows have been much more regular visitors during these snowy days

We had at least ten bluebirds yesterday

Downy woodpecker

The squirrels took a break from their chasing around (it's breeding season for them) to take in some calories largely thanks to the messy eating habits of the starlings

The heated birdbath is a particular hit at the moment. There is not much liquid water to be found elsewhere

Day 18.027: Another day, another snowstorm

We are in what the weather forecasters call an active pattern at the moment, with a storm twice a week or so. I think today's was the fifth one in succession without a meaningful thaw. None of them has been particularly large, but we are - for the first time in a while - getting some real snow banks at the roadsides etc.

Our day started - before the snow, with our Thursday morning nature walk. It was very cold and although we saw quite a few birds, it was the first time I didn't take any photos at all. Instead, here are some eastern bluebirds at our feeder while the snow was falling later in the day.

 

Day 18.026: The Scottish Play

With another winter storm coming in tomorrow, Exile #2 and I were thankful for a calm dry night to drive just over the Piscataqua into New Hampshire to see the filmed stage rendition of Macbeth starring David Tennant and Cush Jumbo. 

We were also thankful that the nearly full (albeit small) cinema screening audience was well behaved throughout the main feature having been rather talkative during the preamble. 

The play itself was wonderfully staged and acted and had us both noticing things that had never caught our eyes or ears before despite both having studied it in the distant past. It was also gloriously Scottish throughout - which is as obviously appropriate as it is rare. 

Day 18.025: Thailand update

Exile #4 sent two new sets of photos, the first were some of the swanky hotel their group is staying in at the site of their project. Their Bangkok accommodation is hardly slumming-it, but this is really nice.

As if to justify that, they sent some photos of taking soil samples to balance-out the glamor. 

This is a still from a short video

It all seems to be a great experience so far. 

Day 18.024: Snow; slow

My day started with a workout - I’ve been fairly consistent for the last year but or so at working out three or four mornings a week and Monday morning is one of my most regular times at the moment. Having done that, I realized that there was snow to clear and decided to do that before showering and getting dressed for work. 

All of which activity caused my Fitbit to make the following suggestion:

Or, as Exile #3 interpreted it, “Sit down, old man!”