Last Day of January

Thank goodness January is coming to an end. It has been an endless progression of snowstorms and cold temperatures. For those who think that man-made global warming is real think again. The average January temperature here was almost 6 degrees below average and snowfall is at a near record pace this winter.

Still not much to photograph this winter as far as scenery goes, so I am trying to get better with birds. Quite the day today. As I went out on my back deck with a bag of birdseed, a pine siskin landed on the bag which I was holding. Then, while photographing all of the birds suddenly flew off. One or two may have hit the window on the house. As I turned to look a hawk flew in. It was obviously looking for a meal from the injured birds. Just as quickly as the hawk flew in it flew off. I went to investigate and found a pine siskin face down in the snowbank. I picked it up and kept it in my warm mitts for awhile. Eventually, it got over the shock and flew off. I then saw another siskin in the snowbank. Unfortunately, it had been there awhile and was frozen. I caught a few good images off of the deck and then it was off to try again to photograph the snowy owl. After playing a game of cat and mouse with the owl not wanting me too close this is the best that I could get. The white at the bottom is the snow which is blowing in a fierce wind.

This may be my last time I see the snowy this winter. What a magnificent bird.