Nature Notes: Early January

January has already had the same extremes at either end of the spectrum, temperature wise, that we had in December.

So far the warm spells have kept Shelley Lake from freezing during the cold spells but I have a feeling that will change this week because it's supposed to get extremely cold Monday night and stay cold for a bit.

The heron above is watching for fish from the fish feeding station and the gull is also watching the same spot from a different vantage point.

The cormorants are on their favorite perches above.

I enjoy the gulls that come to the lake during the winter and leave when spring arrives.

 The junco below was watching me put food on the deck wall.

The tufted titmouse below was hopping on the wall for food and back to the tree.

 The chickadee below was another arriving and leaving quickly with a mouth full.

 The nuthatches were also getting a quick meal.

The red-bellied woodpecker staked out its eating area. The ligustrum bushes stay green year round and they look especially pretty to me when they are covered in snow but no snow yet this winter.

 The male cardinal below was keeping an eye on me from a distance.

 Can anyone tell me how the water from a bird bath can rise and form a knife like point as shown below. I've had this happen before when it goes from a moderate day to an extremely cold night. I'm baffled by it and would love an explanation.

 The next shot was one I took in my yard on the other side of the deck wall (usually I photograph the birds on the wall from inside my house). The red-bellied woodpecker and male rufous-sided towhee were having breakfast.

The female cardinal wasn't fast enough for a warm bath as the water refroze so fast after I got the ice out. I did add some more warm water later.

Although they aren't as flamboyant as the males, female cardinals have their own beauty.

I don't know if the mourning doves were pecking at the ice for water or food. On the other side of the ice were two bird baths with liquid water and there was food on the deck wall so I'm not sure why they spent so much time with the ice.

 I like the way the dove's feather below have a ruffled look.

 Below is a male rufous-sided towhee.

 The next one was having a snack further down the top of the wall.

 The squirrels are also happy to have some food.

 Next is a brown thrasher.

There are a lot of sparrows in my yard and at first I thought the bird below was a sparrow but after looking at it more closely I think it's a yellow-rumped warbler.

The female rufous-sided towhees look a lot like the males except they have dark brown feathers where the males have black feathers. 

 Click for the home of nature notes.