Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Monday, February 6, 2017

Winter On The Tundra

It's been a difficult winter here in the North Country. Sub zero temps and deep snow over hard layers of ice. For me, it means skipping the long hikes with Lily and staying by the comforts of a warm blanket, easy chair and stacks of books. To see the books I've been reading check out Troutbirder II by clicking on Mark Twains picture above.....
For the birds and animals who must scrape a living from the frozen earth it's a lot tougher. My friend Gary Erickson (Mr Science) still manages to go out and about though and take some pictures of the beauty and dangers of a Minnesota winter. Here a nowadays rare pheasant  is seen trying to feed on a corn shock bale. This is very unusual  and definitely shows desperation. Deer make a habit of visiting local  bird feeders including ours  in the evening.
Here on Troutbirder Ranch, the story is the same as I've be feeding
 birds, in huge numbers. And are they hungry! The top trifecta are the juncos & gold, purple & house finches. On some mornings I’ve seen well more than one hundred gathered about. Also, quite prevalent, are the nuthatches, chickadees, and bluejays. Daily, but not in large numbers, are mourning doves, cardinals, starlings, downy, hairy and red bellied woodpeckers.
The local turkey flock often slips quietly through our woods. They tend to be quite cautious as a certain  German Shepherd enjoys chasing them. They cross onto the blacktop in front of our house. Then march parade style up the road till they come to the goat pasture across the way. Having established a peaceful relationship with the unconcerned goats they forage for spilled grain. It's quite a show.


Winter, it's a tough go, here on the Tundra

16 comments:

  1. Nice photos!

    Just watch out for speeding dog sleds up there on the tundra. On the other hand, that snow will replenish your groundwater supplies and in turn become feed, hamburgers, and a summer's worth of great blog posts.

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  2. Are you offering fresh water for all of your wild friends? While they can scrounge up food, fresh, unfrozen water is probably just as welcome.

    Can't believe how much snow and ice you have...we have had a balmy winter here in Chicago. Stay safe...and warm!

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  3. I can only imagine! We have had hardly any snow this season. Unusual for us.

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  4. Birds always put on a good show.

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  5. I don't think I could cope with that kind of winter, although everywhere looks very pretty. I have had a multitude of huge gulls in my garden, all varieties and sizes looking for food. Is is unusual since I live nowhere near the sea or even a lake. Desperation reigns it seems.

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  6. Oh, I'm so sorry you haven't been able to get out as much as you'd like. But books are a terrific compensation, aren't they? Nothing beats curling up with a good one.
    Have a wonderful week, you two!

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  7. I always think of the wildlife and especially the birds during the winter, hoping they will survive the harsh winter months. I love your pictures, TB. :-)

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  8. Thank you for feeding the birds! Some birds always make it a point to come down to New Mexico for the winter. http://theuniversesmiles.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-day-at-bosque-del-apache-nwr.html
    You and Mrs T are always welcome, too!

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  9. I love these pics. It has certainly been a cold and snowy winter all around. We are in a thaw just now, and getting rain instead of snow. Although the snow continues to pile up in the high elevations where we like it. Stay warm. Spring will come.

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  10. If I lived there, almost all of my money would go to feed and protect the wildlife. I so feel for their hardship. This year in Arkansas, life has been good for the creatures. One brief snow, three days of cold weather and the rest like a late fall or early spring. Today it will get to 80 degrees. The animals are happy, Patti not so much. I love snow. Got a feeling this summer will be brutal.

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  11. I imagine by this time you are quite tired of winter. I know I used to be. Winter birds really do add interest and color to gray days. You have a good assortment in your yard. We do, too, here in coastal South Carolina. For the past week we have had a first year male oriole hanging around the yard and feeders and we are seeing large flocks of bluebirds. Hang in there! Our birds will be coming up your way soon!

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  12. You have gotten more storms than we have. I think you might be getting some ice today. It snowed here this morning and it is a damp cold. That is a resourceful Pheasant! :)

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  13. Thank you for coming over to visit ... seems like that winter is being really hard ... I am just glad I don't live in Tundra land ... but it is stunning! So good to meet you - cheers Hilary

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  14. These winters must be tough on the animals! The birds in our area go through our seed quickly - mostly chickadees, nuthatches, hair woodpeckers, and blue jays. I enjoy watching them all!

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