Yesterday there was a bit of a blizzard here.
It came on in the late afternoon. The wind was blowing hard enough that the chickadees were being blown off their perches. They are quite the aeronauts, however.
As darkness came on, they were more and more covered with snow.
The snow drifted dramatically.
A guest for supper had nearly to crawl over the bank.
But by morning all traces were erased.
I rather enjoy a heavy snow storm with a good blow, for when the weather clears the next day, as it always seems to, the vista is lovely.
The birds are eating ravenously. They are practically cleaning out the feeders in a day’s time. Amazing.
Here are some siskins… tucking away.
Here is a redpoll. The finches tend also to eat off the ground.
A noble chickadee comes in for a snack.
Here is a nice shot of a redpoll. Click for a larger version.
This shot was a winner, I must say!
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Fr Z, do you have an e-mail address that you can be reached at?
Even here in VA where there’s no snow, the birds have def picked up on their eating. I have siskins for the first time this year. At first I just thought they were scrappy looking goldfinches. Thanks to you, I know differently!
Fr.,
What do you use for bird food?
I just want to say that I love the bird photos. I’m quite partial to the chickadees, because that’s what I call my kids. Speaking of kids, mine are quite jealous of your snowdrifts. There’s no real winter here in VA this year! God bless you, Father Z. I pray for you often.
It looks beautiful. You dinner guest was very brave to venture out in that kind of weather.
Tzard: I have been buying it at a Walmart, in large bags. Black sunflower seeds with a little mixture of other things for the big feeder, and thistle seed for the smaller finch feeder mixed with some various seeds.
Fr. Z,
Isn’t that a redpoll, not a redpole? Poll as in head? [How helpful!]
Thelma
I want snow like that!
Your bird pics are excellent Fr.
I wish we got snow like that in Ireland. On the other hand it must make travel very difficult and dangerous.
Father: The photo of your guest was snapped just before
he fell fast first into that snow drift, right?
LOL!
Seriously, I’d crawl over the Matterhorn to have dinner
at the Sabine Farm.
I think I can read the mind of your dinner guest in that photo, Father:
“If you don’t put that camera down and pick up a shovel, we’re gonna have problems, Padre!”
Thanks for the lovely photos, Father. Our birdies were soggy today, as it was raining heavily through most of the afternoon. That’s supposed to turn to snow later tonight — did I mention I wish spring were here? Only 21 days to go, thank God. But this being Canada, the snow won’t automatically disappear. One good thing is that whenever I look out the kitchen window, the birds are there — chickadees, siskins, finches, juncos, and sometimes the cardinals and blue jays. The past couple days there have been doves, and this morning a young rabbit showed up foraging for seeds. The birds and animals make everything so much nicer!
Thank you, Father, for these peaceful photos and the pause they afford as a respite from the hateful and hurtful atmosphere that has surfaced surrounding the remission of the excommunications of the SSPX.
Nice shootin’ Padre
They say it will snow tomorrow here in the Carolina Piedmont. I hope so, I would like to see the cardinals stand out against the snow in their red coats.
Father, how is are the mouse guests in the garage making out? Have they been evicted, or are they feasting on your bounty and making use of the car?
I love your northern birds. Down here in Florida, the mourning doves are nesting, robins are passing through, and all the birds are going nuts for the little berries on the palm trees. And there’s a cardinal who “goes off” every morning at 4:30-5:00 a.m. (false dawn) right outside my window.
Father, you’re better than National Geographic, esp. now that they have joined the forces of environmental extremism.
By the way, Father, I hope you open the combox on that “A reader sends a useful comment” thread. That note has been bothering me – though apparently not in the way it has been bothering you.
I love it when you get mad, Father! You always post the most beautiful pictures after your chidings, and sometimes you’ll follow your explosive edicts with an interesting recipe. Nice to hear of nics’ Sunday repasts, but YOUR dinners are always much more interesting and inspiring ( even if you don’t break the ends off your asparagus and you present your fish whole, baked eyes and all. :) Obviously,there are no women guests at the Sabine Farm. Girls hate that kind of presentation).
Please post more Latin translations and commentary even though there are seldom any comments when you do.I always find them very edifying.
Lovely! Just curious: What do you shoot with, father?
We got a big snow here in Virginia, so I thought I would try to see if I could get my little birdies to eat out of my hand. It didn’t take more than two minutes for a siskin to land on my finger and feast away. I’m going to go out in a bit and attempt to coax my chickadees.
Love the pictures of the birdies, Father….how do you get such closeups?
Those poor chickadees look like they’re going to go ‘plop’ in the snow…hang in there, little creatures of God!
I’m with Cathy of Alex…except I’d climb over the Adirondacks to have dinner at the Sabine Farm!
Hey Thomas-that was a good one!
Beautiful. I think the last one should be submitted to a photp contest or two.