COLD!!! That is the word here!
Really cold!
But I can see snow on Grand Mesa and the San Juan’s I can’t see the Black Canyon or the Gunnison area because of fog. Just a slight amount on the top of the Plateau. It is supposed to warm up by 10* today and then we go into a slightly warmer period for a few days before another storm hits this weekend.
As long as it is snowing in the mountains I’ll live with the cold.
We have a flock of House/English Sparrows which have decided to make our farm home for the winter…Sparrows and Ring-necked Doves. As these two different flocks of feathered friends have grown all other birds have abandoned us. (We still have the Sand-hill Cranes and the Canada Geese, and the black birds, but they are in the fields, these are right with us in the farm house area.)
They are everywhere. The Ring-necked Doves have the house and yard, the House/English Sparrows have every remaining building and shop area.
The flocks are growing daily. I am not feeding them. They could go down to the feed lot 2 miles away, except the Starlings left (YIPPEE) as these two groups started taking over going down to the feed lot.
I would much rather have what we have than Starlings. I am NOT a Starling fan.
The bushes and the trees are filled with twittering little and big birds…and also the accompanying poop!
Sort of on the rather nasty mess side.
Well, back to my regularly scheduled work!
Linda
You are obviously a wonderful hostess as far as the birds are concerned.
Three of these species mentioned (dove,sparrow,starling) are invasive. The starlings are not far away – that you can bet on. The others left because of these birds.
sending you some needed sunshine linda x
I wondered where all our starlings came from. ;o)
Sparrows and doves—umhf! I have a few sparrows, some wrens, wood peckers now and then, and my magpies. I love the ‘pies. Not so much the sparrows and doves. A friend has such a serious sparrow problem that she is going to have to trap them. Hundreds and hundreds. She’s taken all the feeders down but they are in the open sheds, in the shop, and in the chicken house where they eat an enormous amount.
It’s been cold and then warmer here but the mountains, Beartooths, Absaroka, Crazy, Belt, and Snowys, all have more snow pack than they did this time last year. It should continue to pile up now which will make a huge difference in the water come spring and summer.
Stay warm! Cuddle up with Fuzzy! And Boomer!
Lovely photos. I rely on sunshine to take halfway decent shots–you do a wonderful job with just clouds in the sky.
We have those dorky morning doves mostly but I did sees cardinal the other day. We are cold but not nearly as cold as you.
Here in Montrose we’re seeing flocks of finches–common and goldfinches. Sparrows, too. On the days they’re not around I often see a hawk in a nearby tree. Since I’m new to the area, I don’t know if this is usual or not.
We get birds in the winter that come down from the mountains. That is probably where your birds come from.
I’m not fond of house sparrows or starlings. they are both non native. It’s too bad they were brought here.
Until recently, we never saw English sparrows at the house, even though they’re all over in the neighborhoods.
I’m with you – they’re not fun, but they’re better than starlings.Ugh.
Great news that the snow is where it is supposed to be, hope you get heaps up there for the Spring, Summer and “Fall” months of 2013.
Sparrows were plentiful here until the wretched Indian Mynahs arrived. Now not a small bird to be
seen. I would take the sparrows – poops and all – instead of these murderous Mynahs, which dive bomb everyone and everything.
You have your snow, and it is raining here right now. I guess both of us have been saying the right prayers – ha ha!!!!
It is warm even with the rain, so everyone is happy.
Cheers
Colin (Brisbane. Australia)
Linda, I’m not sure if you are interested in this kind of thing or not but I signed up to be informed when we can spot the Space Station from Cedaredge. I got a notification for tonight. Just in case you are interested, here’s the info. Let me know if you see it. We’re going to be in Montrose so we may miss it.
SpotTheStation! Time: Tue Dec 11 6:11 PM, Visible: 4 min, Max Height: 50 degrees, Appears: SSW, Disappears: E
Sue
House Sparrows are bossy and nasty. Maybe your house provides a break from the wind?