Wild Bird Wednesday

Bohemian Waxwings!!

These are actually from last February.  I just saw a huge flock of them last week, but they didn't come to roost in the Poplar tree across the street as usual.  They were checking for the little Mountain Ash tree they came for last year, but alas...it is no more.   It was broken in a wind storm and the owners had it removed.  However, the birds must have found another down the block as I could hear them and see them moving around..and then..poof, as they do....... they were gone in a flash.

Last year I heard them twittering...hundreds if not thousands of them in the poplar...grabbed my camera and dashed across the street to try for a few photos.  I was standing not far from the little berry tree and they flew past so close to my head I couldn't believe it... almost felt the wings beside my ears... I had goose bumps after the first few almost touched me.  It was amazing.

They kept coming and going in groups of twenty or thirty to the little tree...grabbed a berry or two and off they went back to the huge poplar with their buddies.  Then, another group flew down...and, back they went again.  They kept it up for about 20 minutes... by which time they had totally denuded the little Mountain Ash tree and suddenly, just ...gone @!  So quickly .. in one huge flock...up and sideways they went.  Then...total silence.  Like they were never there at all.  Except for the mess.  Berries and twigs and bits all over the snow... under the little tree and under the big one as well.

I got a few great photos...

so, today I share with you "the Bohemians"....  click on any pic to see it larger.

They hang upside down as easily as they do right side up it seems.... and they all did it in order to get at the best berries.

Check out other birdies at Stewart's site...click on the pic below to be transported there.... 

Wild Bird Wednesday

Northern Flickers today.   I've had them on here before ...but, hey.... I only get so many birds to the feeder and in the yard and I'll be darned if I want to go looking for them elsewhere when it is -20C... although, today the sun is shining....so it seems pretty nice even if it is cold.

These are from a few days back...

These two didn't seem to mind sharing, although it rarely happens.  If another one shows up when one is already on the suet cage... the first guy usually flies off.   Maybe they are buddies ... I wish there was a way to tell the difference between all the birds.  I don't know if many come once or twice or if a few hang out here all the time... all I know is there are several different males and females flying in and out during any given day.   They love the bug and peanut butter suet....
Click on any photo to see them up close and personal....

Waiting for a turn on the suet ... with all the sparrows that litter the wall and trees.....

They love the heated bird bath and water.... it gets a thick icy ring around the edge...but, that doesn't bother them... and I knock it off daily.
I love this picture.

The sparrows wanted to be in on the photo shoot too....
A little fuzzy as it was through the blinds in the window....

Check out other birds on Stewart's site....

Click on the badge below...

Wizened little apples..

The poor squirrels are making a little trail to this ornamental crabapple tree just outside the bedroom window.  I can't imagine they taste very good....although, having said that... perhaps they are fermented from the intermittent freezing and thawing and have a lovely wine-y flavour!

This little guy..or gal....I am voting for a female, was doing acrobatics to get at some of the remaining 9 apples.  They are more like wrinkly cherries they are so small.  She was clinging by tiny toenails upside down and right side up..but moving so quickly I didn't get any shots of the tricks.  Darn it.  She is pretty spry for her shape.  See that fat little tummy?  I bet babies are already hibernating in there ....

Just look at these silly things..... who would want to eat them?  But, there is so much snow... maybe there's not much for them to find unless it is up in a tree.  There are spruce cones nearby ...but, perhaps a bit of fruit is on their dietary requirements list .... don't forget to click on each photo to see them bigger....not the silly wrinkly cherry like thingies of course, .........the cute little squirrel....

Uh, oh..... I think she sees me now....and is ready to bolt.....  she was watching me all along, but enough is enough I guess.

SNowmaggedon !!

Things came to a standstill all over the city with that last dump of snow.  It was easily a foot and more..
It took us over 2 hours to shovel ourselves out of the house and around the city sidewalks and our own walkway and front porch area... oh, and patio.... a LOT of shovelling!

I think the movements and strengthening of Tai Chi have helped a lot.  No soreness in the rib tissue at all today... even my mid back which was feeling it yesterday ...is fine this morning.  A beautiful brilliant sunshine morning.... so pretty with all the snow.  But, the driving!  Yikes!

The snow shovellers who do our neighbours' driveways .... got good and stuck when they tried to leave.  It took them at least 45 minutes of struggling and digging and moving trailers and snow machines off and onto their truck to get out of the predicament.   They used almost all of a big bag of mixed salt and gravel too.... nothing was working.  I figured they must not have proper winter tires or something... and, man...why would they not have a 4 wheel drive for that type of thing?  Snow shovelers getting stuck in snow.  Great.  Wonder where they are today?  there is another 6 inches to shovel since they were here last.... mine is all done.  Thank goodness we kept shovelling as it was falling.  It would have just been too heavy to even move by now.

The birdies were around all day looking for seeds and suet... the snow cones on the tops of the feeders fell onto their little heads if they hit the perches very fast or hard...especially the big Flickers... it was pretty funny ...  my entertainment each day anyway...

And, today ...I give you a little Black Capped Chickadee nibbling at a seed.  They take one out of the seed dispenser and fly onto a branch to nibble away at each seed til it is gone.  Such dainty eaters.

Well, still have one side of the house to do some final shovelling ..... off I go .. maybe it would be a great day to walk around the block to see if any photo ops present...although it is still -29C this morning in spite of the sun...... hmmmmm..... we'll see....

Somewhere under that bump...is the birdie bath ..... I know it is ......

... can't resist....

 They are just too cute to resist.  I know, I know... only Nuthatches of late...but...

This little guy was standing on the top of the suet cage... waiting.... trying to decide whether or not to join the one already nibbling away at the peanut butter and bug suet.














Finally he did flit down onto the cage and they shared... sometimes they do, sometimes not...

 

They were among the many birds hanging out that day.... it was a cold, snowy one.  All were huddled around looking for a seed or some suet.
Look at the shot from the kitchen doorway ..trying to see across the street... it's still winter in these parts.  More snow forecast for this afternoon and evening... wonder if I will bother driving anywhere tomorrow? ...  Maybe no Tai Chi tomorrow ......

I'm linking up with Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday ... check out lots of birds over there .... hey, there could even be some more nuthatchies..... click on the photo below to go there .  click on any of the birdie pics on here to enlarge and see the little guys BIGGER.