I enjoy nothing more, in winter, then sitting by the big window with a cup of steaming tea and a good book or chess game, and observing the birds at the well-stocked feeder. We have the usual flock of juncos, who love playing in the snow. They are having it out with a flock (the same size, 6 or 7) of passerines. Then throw in a couple of titmice and a pair of wrens. Add to that two cardinal pairs, as well as an assortment of downy woodpeckers, among them the one Red-Bellied Woodpecker. And then there’s this fellow:
He (she?) is new: an American goldfinch. Here’s another view. Such gorgeous coverts, and that yellow muffler!
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Yesterday I wrote about the warmish weather and watching the rain wash away the snow. Then the rain turned to ice.
It was still sleeting this morning when we woke up to a hoop house dangerously weighed down by that snow that has a bluish tint. Read: high slush content. By the time we had mobilized, the situation was dire.
The moment I touched the structure, the precarious balance gave and the whole thing started caving in. The pvc pipes creaked, something on top cracked, and clips that hold the cover to the pipes were literally flying all over the place as the plastic pulled loose. Luckily DH was there to jump inside and prop the whole thing up while I cleared away the snow. We got away with only one of the connectors on top breaking and a couple of tears in the plastic cover. What do you think: redesign?