Blue Jay and other friends.....

I know that I haven't posted regularly for awhile, but the snow is giving me lots of bird activity to photograph.  I've missed doing this.  Yesterday I focused a lot on a Blue Jay that would sit in the little crab apple tree next to the front door....giving me a good place to get photos of it.

This Blue Jay sat in the tree all puffed up most of the day guarding the seed area below. 

 The Blue Jays really like peanuts and the large sunflower seeds and he would get one and hold it between his toes while he ate on it.

I swear that I'm going to go outside and pick that one drooping crab apple!  I have dozens of shots with it right in front of the birds face.  I like the touch of red, but otherwise, it is a nuisance to photography! 

I put in this shot because it shows the pretty feathers on the birds wings. 

One curious little downy would sit on this limb and look back and forth trying to decide if he could get on the suet before someone else chased him away.  More looking then eating! 

I don't get many good Junco shots, so I was very happy to get this one. 

A pair of my Cardinals taking turns on the hook perch. 

The Mocking Bird does not look very happy! 

 A more flattering shot :-)

A Pine Siskin.  I only see them in the winter. 

One of many squirrels. 

The Titmice and the Chickadees are my favorite birds and they move so fast that I can't seem to get good photos of them.  This one is a little "fuzzy", but I still liked it. 

Kiwi has spent so much time in the house this winter, that we have decided to adopt her and give her a chance at being an indoor cat.  We didn't think she would like it but she seems to be adjusting pretty well and enjoying all the bird activity from a warm place.  If we move to a condo we can't have an outdoor cat, so we have been hesitant to officially adopt her.  We won't really be able to tell if she can give up the outdoors after all these years until it gets warmer.  She is such a sweet cat and an excellent mouser!

It's cold and snowy here....

We've had a lot of cold weather this winter and now we have snow.  We don't usually get a lot of severe cold or snow, so this is an unusual winter.  I was trying to get some bird shots today at the feeders and the food I'm throwing out as fast as they can eat it or it gets covered with a new layer of snow!  Sort of a lost cause.  I'm going to have a huge mess to clean up when the snow melts.

"I hate this snow!!!!" 

"Get over it, Dear and just eat the food before its all gone again!  Next year we'll go to Florida!" 

 Mr. Cardinal

 Mr. Downy

 A few of the Cardinals and other ground feeders.  I probably have 10 pair of Cardinals at least!  Lots of Juncos, lots of sparrows and some Pine Siskins all swarming the ground areas.

Everyone wants the suet. 

 The Red-bellied Woodpecker didn't seem to intimidate the Wren as much as it did the downy below.

 "Back off!  This suet belongs to me!"

Song Sparrow 

I had 3 Carolina Wrens 

 This poor little wren is missing most of its tail!  Causes it some problems, but it is surviving!

 I love the wrens

White-throated Sparrow

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Snow is really for the 5 year old's.....or those who are 5 years old at heart :-).  Unfortunately, my knee is not up to this any more, but it sure looked like fun!

"Ok....give me a push!" 

"What do you mean I have to drag the sled back up the hill????" 

"That was FUN!" 

"No fair, Mom, you're bigger then I am!" 

"Ready.....get set......"

The Snow Geese have arrived in the Henderson, KY river bottoms area.....

The weather is really mild right now so we went out for a drive to Henderson along the river bottoms area where the Snow Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese and some ducks spend the winter.  We found a nice group of them not too far from one of the viewing areas and got some photos.

 If you search the photos you can usually find examples of the White adults, the Dark adults, and the juveniles of each.  The Greater-White-fronted Geese mostly hang out a little bit separate from the Snow Geese.

 These two photos give a more distant look of how they gather along the wet areas.

 I look forward to seeing these birds every year.  We never know what we will see and whether they will be close enough to get good photos or not.  Didn't see any swans yet this year.  The largest flooded field didn't have a single bird in the water or among the corn rows.  We will go back in a few weeks and see if more birds arrive.

 My flying shots are so-so.  I used to get better ones with my old camera.

 I love to watch them land.  It also gives you a view of what their back looks like in the darker adults.

A group of White-fronts.