Snow Birds

As of tonight, our paths are no longer skating rinks. Yesterday, the melt began but turned to ice overnight. Before the snow had entirely melted, I took some photos of cold birds in the snow.

Red-tailed Hawk on frozen fir

Great Blue Heron in the goat pasture

California Quail looking for food

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow and Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow and Towhee

We must have had twenty or more Fox Sparrows here during the cold snap.

Fox Sparrow from the front

Fox Sparrow back

Varied Thrushes were everywhere

As always this time of year, many Golden-crowned Sparrows, most not very golden crowned yet.

There were so many birds, like these American Robins, working on fallen apples below the back yard apple trees that they cleared out even the snow.

I call these two unusually colored robins The White Brothers. They seemed to hang out together.

Captured in an unusual moment of getting along together were these four species: Varied Thrush, one of the White Brother robins, Spotted Towhee, and Fox Sparrow

It was nice having lots of birds to brighten the cold scene, but I'm glad the snow has mostly melted now and the water has thawed. Winter came early this year. Perhaps spring will be early, too. One can hope.