by John Baldwin
I hope that you are all safe and well and remaining hopeful that Spring will bring us all welcome changes, in more ways than one.
Now that the excitement of having an Ermine visit us, has waned, it is back to our “wintering over” birds I have to go. The “Irruption (Quick get the dictionary!) of Redpolls still continues and the multitude of them is still rapidly working its way through my big bag of “Nijer” seed. We still get glimpses of an elusive Cardinal pair, the Grey Juncos, Chickadees, Woodpeckers and Nuthatches, at our feeders and also ground feeding. With the last few evenings, now being a bit more extended in time, we have been given a lovely treat, when up to nine Mourning Doves have gathered in the pine trees, immediately behind our front garden feeders. They appear just as the light is starting to fade, making photography a bit challenging, but sit there, for quite a long time in silent contemplation, with eyes half closed. At times they may stir and stretch a wing, or preen themselves, but are a beautiful sight to behold. At first I thought that they might be going to roost there, but their Pine branch perches aren’t that far above the ground, and I suspect that they are just finding temporary shelter, from the cold wind, in the lee of the trees. Usually and before the darkness finally takes over, they depart, to go to their regular roosts, wherever that might be, to spend the night safe and warm, in preparation for another day, tomorrow.
Stay safe and well,
Cheers,
John Baldwin.
