22 January 2016 - White on white and protective coloration

The last six weeks have been snow-filled. Today I was out birding on snow-packed dirt roads. The snow pile on the side of the road is higher than the ranch fence, you can see the tops of the posts sticking over the snow. 

I passed two pick-up trucks that were stuck on the side of the road. I think I need to put a shovel and a big bag of cat litter in my car--just in case. But, even so, it has been mighty pretty around here. 

Yesterday I drove up to Midway. I was looking for a Long-tailed Duck (found it) but it was cold-- ten degrees and everything was covered with hoar frost. The frost was amazing but disappeared rapidly the minute the sun touched it.  

I suddenly realized why someone might want a flocked Christmas tree. It is quite beautiful when done by Mother Nature. 

These photos come with the bittersweet sentiment of 'Wish you were here.'  When the sun hits the ice crystals the resulting shimmer and glisten is mesmerizing, I want everyone to see it in person. 

 

This winter I have had to modify some assumptions. I always liked late fall and winter because it is easier to spot birds without leaves on the trees.  Well, sometimes.  But because I have become a bit obsessed this year, I've discovered that really isn't the case. Even without the foliage for cover, birds can blend right in. 

With the 20/20 of hindsight I wonder how many birds I haven't even noticed, or looked right at and didn't see. It occurs to me you might look at these pictures and think, I could have seen that, but remember, the birds have been zoomed in here. They are a lot further away in the wild. 

In December I was looking for a Brown Thrasher, a rare migrant for this area. Here is my first look. 

After 20 minutes of standing in the middle of a river, water up to my calves, he finally popped out for about 10 seconds before he dove into the next clump of reeds. That is known as skulky behavior. 

I am learning to scan for an odd bit of color, or shadow. In this case, the white-crowned sparrow turned his head so I caught the black and white stripes. 

This next bird was deep in the brush. I got really good looks through the binoculars, but every time I raised the camera he was behind branches. I persevered because this White-throated Sparrow was a life bird for me. Fortunately I was able to catch the tiny flash of yellow on his head. 

Even a bird as large as a Great Blue Heron can blend right into rocks and water. 

  

Owls.  I made four trips up to a reservoir looking for this Long-eared Owl.  The fourth try worked for a number of reasons. It was a foggy, gray day, but as I was scanning the brush a couple of things happened. First, the sun broke through the fog. Second, the owl turned his head so his yellow face was toward me and he opened his eyes. If the sun had not lit up his face and golden eyes I'd have missed him. Every time I moved the binoculars, it took a while to find him again. This was a victory!

Here is my last example. A Sharp-tailed Grouse. His body is about the size of a large grapefruit. Under the brush he almost disappears.  

Out in the open, the coloration still blends. 

This is also a new bird for me and it was my second trip to the area to find him. 

These are just a few examples, but let me tell you, it keeps your head on a swivel and wears your eyes out. But fun? Oh, yes!

CLS:  (Captain's Log Supplemental for those of you who are not Star Trek junkies)

We have had a lot of snow this year. The last four days were warmer--38 to 40 degrees--and the snow in the yard melted some, down to about 17 inches. This morning, Jan 24, woke to another seven inches of wet heavy snow. It even took a tree down. Not happy about that.