Not only did they correctly predict the day, but it looks as if the accumulation will be as they forecast: 4-6 inches of snow.
When it started snowing this morning, I made it outside to refill those bird feeders needing "topping off". From experience, I know the worst weather -- such as ice/snow -- creates the most demand for the bird feeders.
The utility pole on the North side of my house has three feeders attached to it & is a good place to observe the birds coming & going. Birds will be on the feeders, on the ground -- where I spread extra seeds -- as well as in the branches, making their preparations to fly down.
Cardinals & Finches are the most common birds I have in the yard. I don't count the uninvited Blackbirds, but most of their feeding is confined to the ground, due to the "cages" -- intended mostly for the squirrels -- which surround the tube feeders & prevent the Blackbirds from getting to the seeds.The house shaped feeder -- in the bottom right corner of the photo above -- prevents larger birds & squirrels from getting to the seeds by shutting off the access to the food due to the bird or squirrels weight on the perch.
It doesn't matter where I buy birdseed, the most expensive is always the Nyjer seed. It also happens to be the favorite seed of the Finches & since so many of the Finches can cling to the screen feeder at one time -- & currently I have three such feeders I am keeping filled -- this type seed gets used quickly.
With all the bird activity right outside the porch, the cats have a major interest in what is going on out in the yard. Of course, in responding to my asking, "Ya wanna go out?" ... Momma Kitty went out the door, discovered there was snow, waited a few minutes to see if conditions would improve & then came scampering back inside.
How cute Mamma Kitty looks in the snow... only because I know she can go inside for warmth.
ReplyDeleteYou are really teaching me now. Your methods of bird feeding are fabulous! The cage is effective with the black birds,which are a nuisance here. The amount of snow you have is beautiful. The snow we have is way over the top - and far beyond my comfort level.
Great pictures.
Melissa
She didn't stay outside very long.
ReplyDeleteMomma Kitty & Wobs still go to the door ... I open it ... they go to the edge & stare out -- as if that will make the snow go away -- until I get tied of letting the cold air in /warm air out ... close door in their faces.
Later -- repeat. THEY'RE CATS !!!!
The birds are so beautiful in the snow, it almost makes me miss being up north (but not quite). The picture of Momma Kitty in the snow is absolutely precious - no pun intended.
ReplyDeleteMarlene
Momma Kitty went back outside when I shoveled the sidewalks & a path up the middle of the driveway ... which all got more snow in the trench later. Precious did some "cat paddling" as she "swam" through the snow & went amazingly fast to catch up with me when I opened the door to go back inside.
ReplyDeleteIan and I have been feeding the birds around here too. Up at the front gate we have bouganvillia planted. It's been growing there for about ten years so its big. About a hundred sparrows live in there, but we do see cardinals too every once in awhile.
ReplyDeleteI love bouganvillia. How big is big ?? The ones in Costa Rica were the size of trees & had what seemed like millions of blooms on them. Just fantastic !!
ReplyDeleteWell, we haven't been training the plant so it's very bush-like, but it's close to twenty feet high. It's one of those plants that doesn't really bloom, like poinsettias. Ours is fuschia in color when it "blooms." Very pretty. Hoping some of them survive these hard freezes we've had.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info.
ReplyDelete