24 December

 eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S77932691

Weather:  8 am -3C, wind calm;  1pm 3C, wind SW 5

Tide:  11 am 4M

Another chilly morning, and quiet.  The blackberry vines were full of birds, and the trees are still full of siskins, but for the most part, there wasn't that much going on.  

I learned something about winter walking this morning, which will no doubt amuse my Canadian readers.  If you walk in a puddle with maybe a quarter inch of ice on it, the ice sinks and you wind up walking on ice under water and it's SLIPPERY!  Nothing really unfortunate happened but it wasn't what anyone would call graceful.


There is a Cooper's hawk who has taken up a station near the pond--no doubt keeping an eye out for smaller creatures for breakfast.  It's been there several mornings now.



The rosebushes and other shrubs in the fields gleamed with frost.





Winter can be beautiful.  I prefer it dryer, like this morning.  I'm aware that -3C isn't really all that cold, but it helps to have warm socks and gloves.  Strange to relate, that old saying about "There is no bad weather, only bad clothes," (which I'm not sure I agree with) seems to be claimed by at least three Canadian First Nations, but also Swedes.  Who knows?  Anyhow the air had a bit of a nip to it, but it was comfortable enough to sit out and drink coffee, eat cookies, and count ducks.




I make no apologies for the fact that this view has appeared often on my blogs--the part that I like is the way it changes with tide, weather, and now frost.  

The winter light over the river --what to say?  It's a cold scene but to me a beautiful one.


One hardy merganser remained--there must have been fish--she was diving, as was the dipper.



She seemed to have an itchy ear...


And there was a very tough little Anna's hummingbird on the homebound path.



I always marvel at how durable these tiny creatures are, but am in a way glad they're no bigger, given how territorial they are.

Weather forecast for the next few days doesn't look very hopeful.  Time will tell.



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