Snow has fallen, snow on snow..

On New Year’s Day, still no snow. Beech leaves in a puddle were striped with light refracted through a skim of ice.

Needle ice pushed up through the dead grass, powered by capillary action, with the water freezing as it reached the cold ai:.

The bottom “stalks” pushed up the previous night’s crop to create tiered candelabra:

and tiny air bubbles were trapped inside the stems:

But finally on January 7 it snowed,

and we went exploring:

Four coyotes had wandered across the field by the barn:

The wind had dragged patterns in the crust:

We had three snowstorms in one week, adding up to around two feet of snow. That’s a tough time for birds. This is a Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis, weighing in at between 0.5 and 1 ounce.

They eat seeds, and are mainly ground feeders.

They spend the winter in small flocks. There were twenty in my garden that day.

Mourning Doves, Zenaida macroura, are much larger,

with a delicate blue-grey wash under their wings.

This one was alone, but pairs are common. It settled down for a rest, fluffed up against the cold.

Then closed its eyes, and went to sleep:

After all those soothing subtle dove-greys, a startling flash of vermilion, a male Cardinal.

I’m leaving for a few weeks for warmer climes. This will go out while I’m gone. And when I return, I’ll show you where I’ve been. Meanwhile, curl up under your duvet and read a good book, with a glass of wine and a warm dog.