kinda mad

I'm kinda mad at two things. First, Dorothy's decision to drive to work yesterday was based on the weather report which forecast a dusting of snow, nothing to worry about. She had not been at work for more than an hour and had to return home because the very light snow had turned into a major winter storm. It snowed non-stop for twenty hours. That evening the TV meteorologist, with no embarrassment or apology described the event as if his earlier forecast was spot on.  Second, I'm mad at myself for foolishly going to the mailbox to check for mail. On the way back to the house I slipped and fell twisting my knee. If I had just fell down I would have been OK because thick powdery snow is a good cushion. But, in an attempt to save my dignity I tried to maintain a vertical position and hurt my knee in the process.

                               

              I looked out the patio door this morning and saw no birds. Then I looked down and saw this cat.

                                      The birds were up in the tree awaiting the cat's departure

                  Since I was hobbling around this morning it was up to Dorothy to feed the birds

Snow is in the forecast for tomorrow and another major storm is expected for Tuesday. Dorothy may not return to work until the Spring thaw.

the sleet begins

 When I got up this morning the birds were waiting at the feeder so I bundled up and took feed out to them.  The sleet was coming down sideways and it stung my face.  The wind was roaring in the trees. The feeder lid was frozen solid so I scattered the seed onto the hard packed sleet.

The blue is snow, red is ice, yellow and green is rain.  Dorothy stayed home from work today. It's twenty miles over hill and around curve to her employment so it was too risky.

time to refill the bird feeder



I supervise while Jenna refills the bird feeder



the birds

This week I volunteered to participate in a bird survey for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife.  The survey requires that you check your feeder at least 4 times a day and count the number of each specie that you see, then  record the largest number of specie that you observed at any time. I have observed 15 species so far. Here is the tally:
                                               

•  13 Cardinals
•   2 House Sparrows
•   1 White Crowned Sparrow
•   1 White Throated Sparrow
•   3 Black Capped Chickadees
•   2 White Breasted Nuthatches
•   1 Blue Jay
•   1 Purple Finch
•   3 American Goldfinches
•   1 Carolina Wren
•   1 Red Bellied Woodpecker
•   4 Dark-Eyed Juncos
•   2 Tufted Titmouse
•   2 Starlings
•   1 Mocking Bird

I took many photos, but these three are the best. Birds don't always pose just right.



• 

Red Bellied Woodpecker



 



Cardinal




The woodpecker shares the feeder with an American Goldfinch.