Friday, January 25, 2013

Brrrrrr.....

Today started at 23F and it's now 26F.  Brrrrrrrr.  It also precipitated all afternoon so now everything outside is coated with ice.

Tomorrow Cary Quilting Company is having it's grand opening and I managed to get the flimsy of Lilly Pilly finished for Julianne to hang in the shop.  All those leaves!  I'm so glad I delivered it yesterday as today was only good for penguins and polar bears.


I even took a photo of the settings on my machine so I wouldn't set it wrong each time I took a break!   Now I have to clear the decks in here so I can take it back and quilt it.


The pond had a skim of ice on it this morning.


Today was a Project Feederwatch day and there was plenty to watch, because of the weather I suppose.  I even had to go out and refill the feeders again this afternoon.  Birds flit back and forth constantly all day long.


I was pleased to see this handsome red-winged blackbird again.


No one was shy today.  This Carolina wren didn't seem to care about the dogs and I sitting at the window.


 I even caught it with it's mouth full!


The brown thrasher was around all day today....except when the mockingbirds got too aggressive.  They were around all day too.  Sigh.


I filled the bird bath with warm water but it didn't stay liquid for long.


I happened to be watching at the moment wave after wave of red-winged blackbirds landed by the pond.  I estimated there to be at least 100 in the flock.  Most of them were down the bank by the water so I couldn't get a picture of the whole lot together.


 Then I was really amazed when they moved up into our yard.


Most hung out in the tree over the feeder calling to each other.


It was very Hitchcockian for ten minutes or so.  :-)




Otherwise it was the usual suspects at the feeders, just more of them than usual.  The red-bellied woodpecker, among others.


Bluebirds.



Titmice.

House finches, goldfinches, pine siskins, chickadees, juncos, various warblers, nuthatches and sparrows.


I was pleased to see the thrasher defying the mockingbirds over and over again.


Pine siskins skating on the bird bath "drinking" the snow/sleet.



The sleet covered the pond by lunchtime.


The towhees showed up too.  They haven't been around much this year.


Goldfinch and pine siskin.


By this time in the afternoon, after I refilled the feeders I just sat on the floor by the window with Ivy, nose to nose with the braver birds.




By the time The Tramp arrived home it was getting really nasty out there.


A great reason to stay warm in The Sandbox and finish quilting The Viking's first quilt.  Finally!  :-)

5 comments:

Sew Create It - Jane said...

Wow..icy weather...keep safe and enjoy the bird show...so many of them!

Nancy said...

What lovely pictures!! My step-mom in Youngsville, NC loves to take bird pictures and has had a few published in the Raleigh paper.

We got snow, probably about 3 inches, enough to make the world pretty. It is supposed to get icy Sunday into Monday... I'm thinking at least a 2 hour delay.

Have a great day for sewing!

Lynn said...

I saw your quilt top today!! It seemed like a big hit, lots of people were admiring it. It really is so pretty.
Did you see the forecast for next week? I'm having serious weather confusion.

Lorraine said...

Looks like winter has arrived in your neck of the woods.....the weather here is causing some issues - while there are bush fires started by lightning strikes in some areas other parts of the north are in flood ....Crazy! While this is all happening a long way from where I live you can't help but feel for those affected

Cathy K said...

Looks like old man winter has really hit you I love the pics and your dogs are adorable Keep warm and sew a lot Cathy K