birds aplenty

Woke up to a couple of inches of fresh snow this morning, but it didn't last long. I went outside to toss some seed on the ground for the birds and could hear what I'm pretty sure was a woodpecker on the roof of the barn. He was squawking away and then banging on the metal of the roof. He was too far away to see very well, even with binoculars, but I could tell he had a red head.

A little while later in the morning, Xena suddenly started barking her head off. I stepped out and found what her problem was. There was a big bald eagle in a tree near the house. I took a lot of video from a bunch of different angles and this was the best I could get. I'm sorry the camera is wiggling around so much. When it is zoomed out as far as it will go I just can't hold it very still. I desperately need a tripod (or one of those single legged things) .... and a better zoom.He did not care at all that I (and Xena) was moving around just beneath him. A short time later I noticed something in the tree where he had been. Thinking maybe it was his lunch he left behind, I got the binoculars. It was another bird .... a Northern Harrier (I took video of him, too, but he's about 1/2 the size of the eagle and my zoom just wasn't good enough). I remember him from last year. He's cool to watch hunt. He flies low over the ground like a harrier jet.This afternoon we took a drive to Burns Lake to pick up cat food. As we were going down the driveway I wondered to myself when the Mountain Bluebirds would be back. Just then ..... I'm not kidding .... a flock of about 10 flew right across our path and landed in the field. They are so BEAUTIFUL!!! I just LOVE them.It was my first sight of them last year that got this interest in birds started for me. Up until then I never noticed birds. But the exotic blue of these little guys captured my attention. I think they are my favourite. And then there's the Juncos. They're tiny and non-descrip, but there are plenty of them hanging around the feeders right now.