February Notes

February has treated us to lovely and exceptionally mild days, but then last night yanked away the sweetness and slammed us with bitter cold and high, destructive winds. My lights flickered off then back on but my sister, who lives 17 miles away, lost power for two hours. The next several days are forecast to be warm and pleasant so it appears that March will come in like a lamb. How it will behave and depart could be another matter entirely.

A robin has returned to my yard, along with red wing blackbirds, starlings and grackles. 

A wanderer returns.

A screech owl used the roost box a few times this month. It has a different tabby pattern on it's forehead than the owl visiting in January so I know there are at least two of them here. A few nights ago I could hear one calling. Sounded like the distant whinny of a colt.

Catching some late afternoon rays.

Looks like a happy little face to me.

 

There is quite a decrease in seed consumption at my bird feeders now as insects become available on mild days. Crows can always be relied on to quickly remove unwanted kitchen scraps.

I didn't like these meatballs but the crows thought they were fine. 

Chicken scraps today. Also gratefully received.

Yummy! Peanut butter and suet mixture.

Colour coordinated beak and legs. Matching shoes and cape.

Love those junco eyelashes.

*   *   *   *   *

BritBox is a streaming service I've subscribed to for many years now. Sometimes weeks will go by without any new content interesting me. But I hit the jackpot this month when they streamed "The Repair Shop". It shows specialists restoring family heirlooms of all kinds. I absolutely love it!!! The accompanying history of each item is always interesting and the restorations are amazing.

 

*   *   *   *   *

I noticed clumps of rabbit fur littering the snow just outside my kitchen window. At first I thought that a couple of cottontails had gotten into a fisticuff. But then I inspected the scene and saw splatters of blood and what I believe were the paw prints of a fisher. An unwitnessed drama. There are still at least three rabbits frisking about but likely the population has been reduced by one.

Clumps of rabbit fur and spatters of blood in the snow.

Prints that look very much like those of a fisher.

 

*   *   *   *   *

Still enjoying my winter needle work. Knitting socks (soon to start pair number six) and patching blocks on a quilt. I like how this little fox patch turned out. Snoozing blissfully despite wolf and polar bear neighbours.