Backyard Snow Birds...

William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message

Red-bellied Woodpecker in a snow covered pine tree; Clarke County, Georgia birding.

Wednesday, 8:30 AM - Snow still continues to fall as the sky lightens to gray. Fat flakes fall in the cloudy, 24° air. The grass is hidden under a nearly unbroken white blanket, only a few sticks and weeds poking through the falling powder. The sidewalk and road are covered in about a quarter of an inch.
 
9:00 AM - The snowfall has ceased. I was feeling bad for the birds and went out to fill the feeders. Cold, cold, cold 25°! I left a trail of footprints in the now 1-inch deep layer of snow.
 
At 9:05, the wind began to roll back the cloud layer, blue sky beginning in the west and rolling back toward the east. By 9:15, the sky dome was half blue sky and half grey cloud. After another 30 minutes, strong winds pushed back and only the eastern horizon was veiled by cloud. And by 10:00 AM, our snow “event” was over; bright rays were uncovered and illuminated the fallen snow to a glowing orange.

​Psalm 74:17 All nature is within your hands; you make the summer and the winter too.

Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Wren at a backyard bird feeder in the snow; Clarke County, Georgia birding.

All the while, the Cardinals, Titmice, Chickadees and one Carolina Wren were busy at the freshly filled feeders. They would magically vanish each time I stepped out with camera in hand. I managed enough patience to sit silently in the cold and shoot a bold red Cardinal and Red-bellied Woodpecker before my frozen fingers took me back indoors.
 
Strong blowing winds gusts continued to blow powdery snow off the roof tops and trees throughout the day. It remained deceptively bright and sunny, but still just 29°.

​Athens-Clarke County, Georgia
Forecast: snow, mainly before 9 AM, high 35°. Accumulation of less than 1” possible. Wind gusts up to 20 MPH.
Sunrise 7:38 AM; sunset 5:49 PM
Day length: 10 hours, 11 minutes.

Northern Cardinal; Clarke County, Georgia birding.

Carolina Wren; Clarke County, Georgia birding.

Carolina Wren at a backyard bird feeder; Clarke County, Georgia birding.

Northern Cardinal on a snowy branch; Clarke County, Georgia birding.

Carolina Wren bird, Thryothorus ludovicianus, on snow covered bird seed feeder in winter. A common bird in southeast America. Athens, Clarke County, Georgia. USA.

Carolina Wren bird, Thryothorus ludovicianus, on snow covered bird seed feeder in winter. A common bird in southeast America. Athens, Clarke County, Georgia. USA.