Unseasonably Warm

While Andra and the east coast get their fill of winter, the last few days here have felt more like spring. Today our high was nearly 60! It was just enough to confuse the plants, wildlife and me. I took a fantastic outing today and found several bird friends who were kind enough to let me photograph them. What luck that woodpeckers showed up at the lake. I haven't seen any since last spring, except Northern Flickers. This is a red-breasted sapsucker, sucking...well...sap I suppose. He also ate a few bugs while I watched.

Then I found this little lady- a beautiful Hairy Woodpecker, working the smorgasbord of bugs on each tree and log.

And... my 2 friends the Chinese Swan Geese were still at the lake. They are the supreme leaders of the bird flock (made up of canadian geese and ducks). The rest of the water fowl waddle along behind them, as if they are following the King and Queen. These two must have been someone's pets because as I watched, a man was almost able to pet the male. Then, when an old dog went down to chase them, the goose turned on the dog and chased it! It was hilarious and I've never seen an old, arthritic dog move so fast. They are noisy too and bring a very distinct loud squawking to the normally quiet lake.

And lastly, I present...one frightened little hoary bat. This poor creature ended up cruising around our bedroom before V helped it find it's way outside. This house was likely the largest tree it had ever seen- no telling how it found it's way inside. Isn't he darling, though? Look at that little pug nose and he's all fuzzy with his winter coat...