Before we got so cold this week, a lot of gloomy, foggy days were the warm-up, so to speak. In contrast, the New Year got off to a frigid start when the lights came on. I’ll return soon with some sunshine, but here’s a last, longing look at December’s gloomy end.
On December 15, the landscape was less than welcoming. Fog was the order of the day.
I managed to photograph an American Tree Sparrow and a Brown Creeper.
I also barely captured a female Downy Woodpecker.
A mixed flock contained an American Goldfinch, a Northern Cardinal and a House Finch.
My last reward was a White-throated Sparrow. I haven’t seen so many this fall.
On December 19, I reported 6 species to eBird, but took only one photo. There are no birds in it.
On Christmas Day, there was a little bit more activity, if not light.
American Goldfinches were still around. Lately with the cold plunge, more have been at my feeders.
A male Downy Woodpecker was close enough.
I was surprised to find a Red-winged Blackbird in the mix.
One day later, there was nothing much to see but a Red-bellied Woodpecker.
And on December 28, 2024, my last visit to the Chicago Portage for the year, a Downy Woodpecker was again easy to see.
This was the last time I saw Mallards on the water.
The Red-tailed Hawk that’s been hanging out lately made a distant appearance.
And a female Hairy Woodpecker was busy if a bit far away.
Here’s one more photo testimony to the gloom.
I have been pretty well-insulated against the cold the last few days and, like everything else, I guess to some extent one gets used to it. I try to tell myself that dealing with all the layers of clothing is another form of meditation.
I may stay home tomorrow morning and try to get some photos of the birds in the yard. Unfortunately the forecast is for clouds and not the sunshine we had today, but that’s also why I might just try to make the best of it by staying closer to home with temperatures in the teens. In the meantime, here’s what the Cooper’s Hawk who checks on my yard every day looked like this morning.
You are doing well to keep the pictures coming in that cold and foggy weather.
The colder it gets, even with the sunshine, the harder it is to find the birds.
Gloomy! Gloomy Indeed. I felt I was mystically taken to the Moors of England. Well except of the birds. Nice catch of the Cooper”s Hawk in the SUN.
Oh Bob, if only I could control the weather. At least it was warmer. Since the cold hit, however sunny it is, I have had more birds in my backyard than anywhere else. That hawk knows what it’s doing.
We have a bit of sunshine this morning and it’s always so much nicer than the gloom. Even if it is chillier I guess, and I also think you do have to get used to the cold each time it returns. Fortunately? we will have plenty of time to get used to it this January 😉
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Frank! Yes we seem to have a little bit of sunshine peeking through this morning too so I just may have to get out for a walk after all. If it’s not windy I can handle the cold with all my layers. Puff up like the birds. 😊