A Snowy Egret for a snowy Monday morning, at least in our little patch of the globe.
While these guys are definitely nowhere close to our area this time of year spring migration is only a month or two away.
The days are getting longer the temperature warming ever so slightly and a snowy Monday will give way to a sunny Tuesday.
Just imagine spending the day eating one blade at a time. Slim pickings when all the grass is beneath the snow and winter just keeps going on.
Yellowstone National Park 2018.
We watched as this Townsend’s Solitaire spent the better part of their day defending and consuming berries on a small patch of juniper trees.
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology “During the winter, the male and female are both strongly territorial, defending patches of juniper trees against other solitaires and other birds. They feed largely or even exclusively on the juniper’s ripe, fleshy berries for the entire nonbreeding season.”
That sure appeared to be the case this day as this bird sat watch and every once in awhile darted into the tree and grabbed a berry.
One study suggested a single Solitaire would need to eat between 42,000 and 84,000 juniper berries to survive the winter. I don’t think this small patch contained enough for this bird and sharing would be out of the question.
After a quick bite they were back perched and on the lookout. It has been observed that violent fights may break out in defense of the winter territory, because owners of large, berry-rich territories survive the winter at higher rates than solitaires on small territories with few berries. This day all was calm and the owner of this territory had it all to themselves.
To find out more about these inconspicuous but fascinating birds:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Townsends_Solitaire/overview
http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/townsends-solitaire
https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/towsol/overview
Who Me?
An Ermine stands tall and looks a bit perplexed when asked a simple question?
Do you per chance know where have all the rabbits gone?
We started the winter with several in the yard but have seen none these last few weeks.
Have a wonderful weekend.
A male Redheaded Duck enjoying the late afternoon sun on a chilly winter afternoon.
Eating berries in a single gulp is as easy as one, two, three. If of course your a Cedar Waxwing.
Pick, flip, swallow and repeat.
Denver, CO.
For the next couple of weeks we will be posting some of our favorite posts from the past as we take a small respite from the digital world.
Blue blue sky and a bright blue bird. Western Scrub Jay keeping a watchful eye on us as she enjoyed an afternoon snack.
For the next couple of weeks we will be posting some of our favorite posts from the past as we take a small respite from the digital world.
Hot water flowing through the snow on a frosty morning in Yellowstone NP. Photographed while xc-skiing skiing out to Biscuit Basin on a snowy winters day.
For the next couple of weeks we will be posting some of our favorite posts from the past as we take a small respite from the digital world.
Rising in the east and obscured behind thick fog, the winter sun lights an old cottonwood tree covered in delicate hoar frost. Once the fog lifted it only took a couple of hours of sunlight to melt the frost away. Temporal, fractal art at is finest. Grand Teton National Park, WY.
For the next couple of weeks we will be posting some of our favorite posts from the past as we take a small respite from the digital world.
Two male goldeneyes working hard to impress a female in the late afternoon light. These guys will likely only be around here a few more weeks. As spring arrives most of the waterfowl leave my area. Their yearly coming and going gives rhythm to life. Have a great trip north and someday we hope to join you.
For the next couple of weeks we will be posting some of our favorite posts from the past as we take a small respite from the digital world.
nature has no boss 
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