Easy Eight

It is positively frigid outside today and we barely managed to get out of the single digits for an hour or so before plunging down again.  You didn't need a thermometer to tell it was cold, though - one look at all the birds told the story.  Birds have the ability to fluff up their downy "under" feathers to provide insulation against temperatures like this.  In addition, they will often tuck both feet up under a down "skirt" as seen here since the bare skin on their legs lets a lot of internal heat escape.  So, the net-net is that we have a yard full of very plump, squat looking birds.

Yard bird # 8 is the common Blue Jay, a bird that is usually present in our yard year round.  They are endlessly entertaining and provide an excellent warning system when hawks come calling.

I did try, briefly, to get some photos crouched outside, but the combination of frigid temps and gusty winds drove me back inside very quickly.  So, this is through the window with the snowy woods in the background.  In a period of less than an hour, I tallied 21 species in the yard this morning.

Forty five minutes on the treadmill today, set for hills, which left me feeling quite virtuous.  Hubs and I ran out this afternoon to get a new office chair for his"new" work space (he's almost done painting it a fabulous slaty-blue color with bright white trim). Planning turkey chili in the pressure cooker tonight and then a quiet night of telly and reading.  

Tomorrow our temps should get up into the 20's so hopefully some of the massive amounts of ice will come off the trees.  I'm surprised we haven't lost any big tree branches with all the extra ice, but so far, only small branches.  Fingers crossed.

The only bird not shot through the window today was this mourning dove that allowed me to approach surprisingly close - maybe it was just too cold to bother flying.

xo
Debbi