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Sun and blue sky brings out furred and feathered critters alike

By JIM NIGRO

While the month of March has hardly been spring-like, Tuesday's weather brought forth an abundance of woodpeckers, songbirds and bushytails in the small woodlot that borders our property. And with the emergence of foliage yet a long way off, conditions were ideal for taking their picture.

First on the scene was this female cardinal. In the soft light of early morning and still plenty of chill in the air, she forages along the ground and spots remnants of last year's seed. 

As the sun climbed higher more birds arrived, like the downy woodpecker pictured above and in the top photo. The "downies" were difficult to capture with the camera, as they kept rapidly flitting about, from tree to tree and branch to branch.

It was only a matter of time before the red squirrel population was heard from. On this day there were several working the same area. This one stopped briefly on the trunk of an aged cottonwood.

From an adjacent walnut tree, this red-bellied woodpecker seems to be sizing up the main trunk of the cottonwood and, with the red squirrel present, weighing its options.......

and then deciding to go for it.

A lone gray squirrel showed up -- even with the red squirrels in close proximity.

Despite the chill in the air and patches of snow on the ground, between the blue sky and the arrival of some furred and feathered friends, it was a good day.

anne crotzer

Love your pics Jim and Claudia! A great photo op next time you enter Oakfield on Rte 63, there are usually a flock of over 30 turkeys to the left in the cornfield.

Mar 28, 2013, 11:56am Permalink
kevin kretschmer

I would encourage you and Claudia to bring your camera and a couple of lawn chairs down to LSP, and sit near the overlook adjacent "Caroline's Cottage" in the near future if possible. Once you get there, you'll see why.

Mar 29, 2013, 10:34am Permalink

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