It't been raining for the past few days - finally stopped around noon today. A lot of the snow that we had melted away in the mild temperatures and non-stop rain and winds. It woke me up last night and I could not fall back asleep. Crap!
Earlier today at least half a dozen sparrows were fighting for bathing space in the bird bath, LOL! They were so much fun to watch, and all the while I was thinking we still have a week to the end of January, what is going on with this crazy weather? Two days ago the bird bath was frozen solid and capped with a foot-high pile of snow!
I didn't pull my camera out in time to get any photos of the birds taking baths, but I did catch this shot of one of the sparrows setting up shop in the red-roofed bird house, singing his head off to attract a mate. There was quite a fight that went on for possession of that bird house. Oh darn. I see that the downloaded photo here is much smaller, and the bird in the opening of the house doesn't show up very well. I had the lens on maximum zoom, too.
The second shot shows bare green (!!!) grass on January 24th, 2010 uncovered by the rapidly melting snow. I am wondering if the robins will show up in a few days? I remember the end of January, 1987, how shocked I was one morning as I was trekking to the bus stop to go to work, first hearing its distinctive call and then seeing a robin redbreast bold as brass against the snow-covered ground.
I don't particularly recall a January thaw since then as long as this one has been (or, actually, any for the past several years) - 10 days at least with temperatures in the mid to high-3o's F! And the rain for the past day and a half washed away so much snow. Of course, now the yard looks a terrible mess! Branches all over and leaves, holes left behind by the ever-digging squirrels - but the grass stayed so green underneath. Very strange...
It't been raining for the past few days - finally stopped around noon today. A lot of the snow that we had melted away in the mild temperatures and non-stop rain and winds. It woke me up last night and I could not fall back asleep. Crap!
Earlier today at least half a dozen sparrows were fighting for bathing space in the bird bath, LOL! They were so much fun to watch, and all the while I was thinking we still have a week to the end of January, what is going on with this crazy weather? Two days ago the bird bath was frozen solid and capped with a foot-high pile of snow!
I didn't pull my camera out in time to get any photos of the birds taking baths, but I did catch this shot of one of the sparrows setting up shop in the red-roofed bird house, singing his head off to attract a mate. There was quite a fight that went on for possession of that bird house. Oh darn. I see that the downloaded photo here is much smaller, and the bird in the opening of the house doesn't show up very well. I had the lens on maximum zoom, too.
The second shot shows bare green (!!!) grass on January 24th, 2010 uncovered by the rapidly melting snow. I am wondering if the robins will show up in a few days? I remember the end of January, 1987, how shocked I was one morning as I was trekking to the bus stop to go to work, first hearing its distinctive call and then seeing a robin redbreast bold as brass against the snow-covered ground.
I don't particularly recall a January thaw since then as long as this one has been (or, actually, any for the past several years) - 10 days at least with temperatures in the mid to high-3o's F! And the rain for the past day and a half washed away so much snow. Of course, now the yard looks a terrible mess! Branches all over and leaves, holes left behind by the ever-digging squirrels - but the grass stayed so green underneath. Very strange...
