Nature Notes: February 1 through 9

Hard to believe that we are already a third of the way through February.

I thought I'd post some of the shots I've taken so far this month starting with two American Robins (above) although one is hidden except for its chest. The little bird below is a junco.

Our weather this month has been all over the place with as much as a 40 degree change in temperatures within 24 hours. Below the male cardinal is having a snack on my deck wall.

We've had a lot of gray days but when the sun comes out it has been pretty spectacular.

Below the carolina chickadee is on the left with two sparrows to its right.

It's supposed to snow tonight and into the morning but then warm up so I doubt it will amount to much.

I had to look up the American goldfinch in the shot above because I never quite believe how different it looks in the winter than in the summer. I guess it's adaptive to wear winter browns and then in the summer when it can blend into the flowers be bright yellow.

We had a pretty Sunday after being rainy on Saturday so I went for a walk at the lake. The is the second week in a row where Sunday has been a beautiful day in between less pleasant weather.

I love how the blue sky and the white gulls make a good contrast to each other.

I have been posting a lot of my gull shots on both of my blogs lately but hard to pick my favorites.

At the angle below the blue jay is hiding its bright blue feathers.

I think the jay in the next shot appears to be turning its nose up at me.

The waxwing below seemed to pose for me, or maybe it didn't notice me at the window but it stayed like that a long time.

I've been noticing a lot more mourning doves lately.

I've also been spotting a lot of house finch lately like the one below.

The junco in the next shot is one I took today. I was standing at the door with windows and while I shot it came closer and closer and stopped so I could get a close-up.

I love to watch the way female cardinals move their heads in little side way bobs.

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