Author: Mike and Christy

Common Redpoll

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Common Redpolls frequent our area in the winter each year but seeing them seems a hit or miss proposition as they move around quite a bit. This winter we got lucky and had a few hanging around the neighborhood for a couple of days in a big mixed flock of finch species.

During winter, some Common Redpolls tunnel into the snow to stay warm during the night. Tunnels may be more than a foot long and 4 inches under the insulating snow.

Common Redpolls can survive temperatures of –65 degrees Fahrenheit. A study in Alaska found Redpolls put on about 31 percent more plumage by weight in November than they did in July.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Redpoll/overview

On the bull kelp

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yellow_rumped_bull_kelp

A tiny Yellow Rumped Warbler found the bull kelp a perfect perch for hunting sand flies and other small insects on the beach. This girl would quickly dart down form the kelp to snag a small meal and quickly return to her perch. Seeing her sitting on the head of the bull kelp made us realize just how small she was. We watched a documentary about songbirds the other night called The Messenger. Here is a link to the website http://songbirdsos.com
It is a very timely reminder about what a world without song birds would be like.

Winter Bunn 2022

On By Mike and Christy1 Comment

Introducing Winter Bunn 2022.

Each winter we seem to have a single Rocky Mountain Cottontail that call our surroundings home. This year she makes an appearance every couple of days or so. Sometimes seeming right at home with us invading her surrounding. This day she munches away on the stalk of an old Holly Hock plant whist giving me the eye. Thus far she has seemed to avoid all those which would like to make her a meal and hopefully will make to spring to produce another batch of spunky young rabbits.

Looking out – Looking in

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On a recent very chilly morning while the rest of the house finches were visiting the feeders one very curious gentleman decided to take a minute and see what was going on inside the house. It was a short but nice chat, but given the quantity of seed a little bird needs to eat to keep warm at -10, he was quickly went back to his business at the feeder.

Sunshine

On By Mike and Christy3 Comments

Thus far our winter has been more gray then sunny and much less snowy than we would like it. However looking out and seeing this Rocky Mountain Cottontail provided us that proverbial sunshine on a cloudy day and a smile to our faces.