Snow on the Mountain

Bring on the snow! We're ready! Snow chains are on the tires, our pantry is full, wood is chopped and the bird feeders are full. The first blast of snow arrived a couple of days ago and more is expected.

Our first blast of snow a couple of days ago brought at least 7 inches to our home and much more in the high country.

House Finch

Lesser Goldfinch

 Word has spread in the avian world about our "restaurant". Every day we have about 60 House Finches and 40 Lesser Goldfinches fill our trees. The Black Oak is their favorite.

As the day ended and the weather was quite brutal, 28 of them lined up on the ledge of our porch to seek shelter from the storm.

Northern Flicker

American Robin

Bushtit

Although the finches are the most abundant, other birds are finding their way to our patch in the woods.

Even the Western Screech Owl is still around. All the commotion hasn't deterred him from returning to his little home in the Black Oak.

Finding a bit of solitude in a snowy wilderness is the best!

The first 2 storms have passed and we have one more to go before the sunny blue skies return. With 4-5 years of drought and wildfires across the state, the rain and snow are a WELCOME sight, indeed!

Click on photos to enlarge. Photos and content by Robin Roberts.

Please, I Need to Sleep

Steller's Jay

Whether it's a Steller's, California or East coast Blue Jay, they all share common traits. Besides loving peanuts, they are extremely vocal especially when it comes to scaring off an intruder. It always piques my curiosity when a mob of Jays shows up in a tree squawking.

Red-shouldered Hawk

Sometimes it's a snake, a cat or a hawk that they're trying to scare away.

Yesterday, when our Black Oak tree was full of 6 loud Steller's Jays, 1 California Scrub Jay and 1 curious, little Mountain chickadee, I scoured the tree for the recipient of these unwanted calls. The tree was empty but I noticed that they directed their attention to this hollowed out hole in one of the limbs...who was in there?

Eventually, the birds left the tree. Just as the sun was lowering in the sky, we discovered the source of all the fuss...a Western Screech Owl had been sleeping in this perfect cavity. If it hadn't been for the raucous calls of the Jays, I never would have found this cute little owl roosting in our oak tree. Next time you hear some noisy Jays, check it out. You may discover something amazing, too!

Snow and the Black Oak

 Winter has finally arrived! Our first major snowfall of the year arrived Christmas Eve. The second snowfall occurred last night, New Year's Eve.

Our friends in the desert have purple "ornaments" in their tree, we have yellow and red ones.

Lesser Goldfinch

House Finch

 With the arrival of much needed snow, the finches have made our Black Oak tree their haven. Having feeders filled with thistle and sunflower seed helps. Our yard is extra enticing on snowy days.

When we first moved into our home last year, this oak tree was filled with crows. Nothing against crows but I was hoping for a more diverse bird population to fill our trees. A year has gone by and this tree has been filled with lots of birds including migrating warblers and uncommonly seen woodpeckers.

All this activity piques the interest of other birds like this Red-shouldered Hawk.

Northern Flicker preening itself in the magnificent oak

Observing birds is an easy way to reconnect with Nature no matter where you live. Birds have a tough time with natural habitat loss.Hanging up a feeder and providing water this winter for our feathered friends will benefit you just as much as it does the birds.

May your new year be filled with peace, joy, healing, new discoveries and a bit of adventure!

Click on photos to enlarge.
Photos and content by Robin Roberts