I have been trying to take advantage of any better weekend weather since I got back from Mexico, specifically just to wander the Portage and see what’s going on. Last weekend, Sunday was beautiful and warm, but I had to spend the morning indoors singing in the choir, but even though I didn’t have high expectations for an afternoon walk, I thought anything might be interesting. As it turned out, I heard only a few birds and saw absolutely nothing save some Canada Geese and a Red-Tailed Hawk. I went out again yesterday morning, to take advantage of the only sunshine this weekend, and after walking for nearly half an hour to only hear a few birds, I finally caught up with a flock of foraging sparrows and the woodpeckers and Blue Jays I had been hearing.
Last weekend’s Red-Tailed Hawk
Yesterday’s stars were a couple Red-Bellied Woodpeckers.
The Downies were busy too.
When the flock first appeared it seemed to be mostly Dark-Eyed Juncos and White-Throated Sparrows. They weren’t particularly interested in coming any closer to me. But it was a delight to just stand still and watch the flock forage and move through. And when the sun was shining, it was nearly warm on my back. It was otherwise seasonably cold yesterday, with hardly any open water.
There were likely a few more cardinals around than the two I saw briefly. Below is one of them.
One of a few storyboards along the trail…dressed in snow and ice.
And right behind the storyboard location appeared something I wasn’t expecting so late in the morning – a foraging White-Tailed Deer. I didn’t want to disturb her so after we connected with a few photographs I turned back and made my way out of the preserve.
I was surprised to turn around and see a Brown Creeper busy poking up this tree.
Brown Creeper 
Throughout the morning the Blue Jays were noisily carrying on but they were quite distant when they finally appeared.
In all maybe there were four robins yesterday morning. I’m sure there’s a larger flock somewhere.
I will be back soon with warmer memories from Mexico. As of this moment, it has just started snowing. In the interim, I would like to leave with a quote from Bill Penzey which I read this morning:
“When they do their best to get us to abandon all hope is when we must embrace it more tightly than ever.”
Good quote.
Thrilling pics of the red-tailed hawk!
Saved an otherwise bird-less afternoon. 🙂
The quote is definitely for today. i love your photos..life as it is from a bird’s eye view..Have a blessed day!
Thanks, Syl! The birds are smarter than we are which is probably why that whole “bird brain” myth got started in the first place. Somebody couldn’t get over the fact that birds were so smart and they could fly, too!