14-DEC-2009
Cardinal, male
At the BYG feeder. This was one of 4 males at or near the feeder. There were also 3 females, several mourning doves, half a dozen house finches, about 8 chickadees, and a male downy woodpecker. I could hear a white-breasted nuthatch in the distance across the ravine.
13-DEC-2009
Re squirrel eating sumac buds
Sumac seeds, bark and buds all feed squirrels. Birds too will eat the flower seeds.
10-DEC-2009
Another view of the Amphibian pond
You can see there is still open water at this point and the ice is still just a bit more than a skin.
10-DEC-2009
After the first snowstorm: Amphibian Pond
Or maybe it should be temporarily called the Beaver Pond. A thin skin of ice over part of the pond, but where the beaver is active, you can see open water.
10-DEC-2009
American goldfinch nest
This is one of many nests revealed as the leaves fall. Most of the ones I've seen this year have been goldfinch and robin nests. I've found a couple of yellow warbler nests, a cardinal nest, and a song sparrow nest, as far as I can remember.
08-DEC-2009
Icicles on the Info Kiosk, Fletcher Wildlife Garden
Late afternoon sun reflects off the icicles on the FWG info kiosk by the parking lot
08-DEC-2009
Apple stored by Red squirrel
Red squirrels are great at storing apples, walnuts, mushrooms,cones, etc. in trees. With nuts, cones and fruit, they will often "decorate" a tree with their bounty, placing one piece of fruit on each branch. In the November blog I posted a photo of a walnut in a similar position. In that case, the entire spruce looked like a Christmas tree ready for the holidays!
08-DEC-2009
Old field in December
A light dusting of snow, barely visible under the goldenrods and raspberries.
08-DEC-2009
New England aster seeds
The fluffy seedheads of the asters are quite noticeable now. When other food is less available, finches and sparrows will feed on these.
08-DEC-2009
Crow eating snow
This crow was eating a lot of snow, hopping up and down the branch near the Ash Woods birdfeeder. This is a way for them to get some moisture.
Notice the white splotches on his feathers? This is what happens when hundreds of crows roost together in close proximity...if the one above let's go, the ones below get the splat! You rarely see this in summer when crows are off doing their own thing, but once they begin congregating again in large roosts the white splotches become evident on many crows.
07-DEC-2009
Snow on the pond
A light snow this morning which lay on the thin skin of ice over most of the pond.
07-DEC-2009
Ash woods
A red-tailed hawk flew into the woods this morning, pursued by a contingent of crows. Over at the Ash Woods feeder, there were over 30 house finches, a couple of morning doves, 5 chickadees and a couple of cardinals.