The temperature was in the low 20s early this morning, and combined with strong northerly winds, the wind chill was in the teens. We saw a large reddish-brown fox in our back yard soon after sunrise, and birds were emptying the sunflower seeds from our feeder.
It warmed up to about 30 degrees early this afternoon, and I decided to take a hike here in Stoney Creek to see what the strong winds might have blown our way. As soon as I got to Lake Monocan, I saw a lone Double-crested Cormorant in the lake, and then I saw a Bald Eagle circling above the lake looking down for a possible meal. Neither of these birds stayed around for very long. As I hiked past Sawmill Creek pond #3, a Great Blue Heron took off and landed not too far away on the adjacent bank.
Between the birds at my feeder this morning and those seen on the hike, I ended up with 20 species for the day.
Double-crested Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Today's list:
Mallard Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker American Crow Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch Carolina Wren Eastern Bluebird White-throated Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal American Goldfinch |