Day 19.028: It’s the big game

No, not tomorrow’s football championship/American cultural phenomenon but England vs Wales in the Six Nations Rugby. 

I'll leave the commentary there. And yes, we'll probably watch the "sports" tomorrow too.

Day 19.027: Just in case

There are fruit trees just outside my office window. A few years ago, when I had a windowless office on the other side, I saw some interesting birds in these trees and got some unsatisfactory photos with my phone so I keep wondering if I will one day see something interesting.

This week, I did not see something interesting, but I did take a cellphone photo of a house finch. 

Day 19.026: Just a tail

The other day, I looked out and saw a tail flicking around under the bird feeder. Thanks to a hollow in the still-knee-deep snow, it was all I could see of a bird hunting for good stuff among the reject food scattered there (primarily by the starlings).

I probably should have guessed who the small bird with the outsized and up-sticking tail was, but I waited until it showed itself anyway:

Carolina wren in the snow

Day 19.025: Night out

This evening we took Exile #3 and her friend to a cinema in Methuen MA to see the Stray Kids movie (that was the nearest place showing it). While they did that Exile #2 and I went out for dinner in nearby North Andover. 

When we got back to the cinema, the movie finished and the K-pop fans came streaming out - many dressed up for the occasion. It seems we all had a fun night.

Day 19.024: Cryptic

Dramatic unopened pine cones confused a hundred. (6)

There weren't a hundred of us, but we were a little puzzled by these half-open cones in this pitch pine on Saturday afternoon. If you solve the clue let me know!

Day 19.023: Saturday afternoon birds

Our nature group gathered in the "heat" (i.e. least bitterly cold part) of the afternoon on Saturday in Kennebunkport. Here are some of our bird sightings:

Mallards resting on the ice (approx. 335 in this group)

A few Canada geese were with them

This duck's speculum was catching the light perfectly

One American black duck was hiding among the mallards

Curly tail feathers

Red-shouldered hawk

Eeek! I've been spotted!

Off he goes

American black duck

Common goldeneye

American robins

Finding some fruit on a crab apple tree

Mourning dove (in the afternoon)

House sparrow

House finch

Rock pigeons

Day 19.022: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #541

Exile #2 writes...

Although it’s too cold for the snow on the ground to melt much at the moment, it is managing to melt a little on roofs. Because it is so cold, however, that is just making for some spectacular icicles. We have a few forming a slightly menacing portcullis above our garage door but they are nothing to the curtains of icicles we saw along eaves on our walk on Saturday or the enormous 5 ft long spears that seemed to be forming on the corners of buildings. It’s not for nothing that many places put up signs warning people to watch out for falling ice!