Pretty Cool Ice and Winter Life

Do you have a favorite month and a least favorite month?  

I do.  February is my least favorite, by far.  I have a little harder time choosing a favorite... I probably would settle on May if I had to choose just one.  

In January, the novelty of winter is still there for me.  The snow is still pretty, and the winter birds at my feeders are enjoyable.  By February, the joy (?) of winter has worn off for me and the tease of a few days that feel a bit like spring makes if harder to wait, knowing no matter what the groundhog says, it's going to be awhile before spring arrives here!  (That's why I'd choose May as my favorite -- birds returning and singing, wildflowers blooming - hey, I don't even mind the mud!)

So here we are in early February and I'm having trouble thinking of something interesting to write about.  I won't blame you if you don't find this post very exciting.  However, I'm trying to remember that different people get excited about different things, so maybe you will love it... it's about ICE.

We have a spot in our little woods where a small stream goes thru an old stone wall.  It can really get to roaring after a heavy rain, and in winter it can have some pretty icicles.  

Lately, it has had some of the most interesting ice formations I've ever seen there.

Here's the spot from a different angle.

I actually googled 'ice' to see if I could come up with something interesting to write along with the photos... and I was unsuccessful!  (I will admit, I didn't try very hard).

But, now for some added excitement you for ice-lovers, here are some close-ups:

It's raining hard today and in the 40's, I'm sure the ice will be changing.  It's always changing.... even the ice on the swamp does.

I've been watching for ducks, though it is early yet.  There was life in the above photo though.   Did you see the little tree sparrow at center front?

I'd feel bad if I left you with just ice and one sparrow.  So, how about some mourning doves?  We have lots of those.  I like how they are all facing the same direction in the next shot.

In other news, our chickadees are being spoiled by having peanuts in this feeder.  They seem to like them very much.

Also, a pair of bluebirds has been hanging around the yard.   Talk about yearning for spring-- it's impossible not to when I see them and listen to them singing.  A blue jay also wanted to see what was happening.

Our daughter had an exciting bird at her suet feeder on Sunday, a brown thrasher, which isn't normally here in February.  She saw it a few times but wasn't able to get a photo and neither was I when I went to watch for it.  But I did think this interaction between a female red-bellied woodpecker and a goldfinch was cute.  

Better than ice, anyway!   

Remember, Spring is coming! (and ICE is pretty, too).