Wintery Interlude

(click on photo to enlarge)

Here’s what we woke up to on February 8:

And here’s what we woke up to on February 10:

Unlike the distant snow on the 8th, we had a fair amount at the house. Just a dusting, really, and tiny drifts from the high winds that accompanied it.

Weather like this brings extra bird activity to the feeders. Our little flock of three Pine Siskins morphed into 25 birds and along with the Lesser Goldfinches, ate about $8 worth of thistle seed. But who’s counting?

Pine Siskins & Lesser Goldfinches

With this many hungry and thirsty siskins, one was bound to pose for a photo. Look at that very sharp bill normally used for pulling tiny seeds from plants with tight seed heads like thistle.

Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus)

So, winter isn’t over after all. Guess I’ll put away my plant list (and my shorts!) for a while and see what March brings to the Dragoons. Hope the few perennials I’ve already planted don’t mind a few more freezes. Seems like I’ve been waiting soooo long to get the hummingbird/butterfly garden started.

Published by Arlene Ripley on February 11th, 2009 Tagged Arizona, Birds, Cochise County, Nature

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