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After a brief respite, wildlife on the move once again

By JIM NIGRO

This cardinal is no doubt making up for lost time by gorging on what's left of last autumn's wild grapes. Having hunkered down for a few days during last week's blizzard, the usual cast of characters is back in action in and around our neighboring woodlots.

With a poplar directly behind it, a pileated woodpecker knows decaying wood is a better place to find insects, so it pounds away on a dead sumac. There were two pileateds in close proximity on this day, but getting them into the same frame proved futile.

This pileated seems to have found the upper reaches of a dead poplar to its liking.

As the storm descended on us late last Monday afternoon, the last flurry of movement I saw was that of a red squirrel scurrying into our barn. This guy is tightly clutching a dead nub as if expecting the high winds to return at any moment.....

In the next instant it turns and sticks tail high in the air...a bit sassy maybe or perhaps it's suddenly sensing an intruder. If on alert mode, it's with good reason....

Like everything else, this redtail didn't eat for a few days during the storm...    

Hawks have been showing up with greater regularity, what with cottontails, squirrels and, in the warmer months, chipmunks, to prey on.   

Here's the cardinal again...in this photo note the bit of grape stain on his beak.

A gray squirrel gives the once over to a tiny abode that has housed baby wrens for the past few summers.

Sometime before last week's blizzard and after December's flood, we had some freezing rain.....this house finch doesn't seem deterred by the results.

scott williams

Thank for the pictures Jim. We have had three pair of cardinals all winter at the feeder. During the blizard we had blue jays, our usual doves and even two crow. The word gets around that I feed them quite well.Also had our usual finches red and gray squirls too. Also that day I took a picture of a pheasant roosting in a small berry tree in a yard on Narramore I uploaded it to the Batavian.

Jan 16, 2014, 9:35pm Permalink
Mardell Lamb

Hi Jim!
Great shots as always! Always appreciate your contribution to the Batavian, thank you. That last picture ~ brrr!

Have a great weekend.

Jan 17, 2014, 10:41am Permalink
JIM NIGRO

Hi Mardell......thanks and hope you have a good weekend as well. You're absolutely right - brrr indeed... the last pic aside, next week looks to be bone chilling cold. Meanwhile, am looking forward to Sunday's NFL conference championships and a seafood linguine dinner!!!

Jan 17, 2014, 11:15am Permalink

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