Posts from the ‘Montana’ category

We’re getting there

It might not look much like Spring to those of you who live in places that have tulips, daffodils, crocuses already blooming, grass greening, but here, this is progress! Although it was still slightly below freezing, the sun was hitting the front porch this morning, birds were singing and despite the large piles of snow left to melt, it had the feel of Spring – really!

The sun was even making Bob’s eating venue warm and spring-like.

This is near the end of our short loop – looking back from whence we came along the snow covered ridge. There is still 6-10 inches of snow on some of our path. In the morning it is frozen and easy walking. By afternoon and for our evening walk, it is like walking in mashed potatoes.

As we approached our own property, Karl decided on a toe cleaning break – hopefully one of the last for the season. We’re getting there!

An interesting Spring

Ha, this bird I KNOW! Pileated Woodpecker aka “Woody the Woodpecker” if you are of my vintage. And in real life, they can be as much of a troublemaker as the cartoon. They are interesting and large and not all that skittish. I didn’t see this one until I was within 6 or 8 feet and may not have noticed had he not chattered at me in what sounded like irritation. Karl was some ways away so I just stopped and spoke back. He went about his business ignoring me while I got the camera out.

My pileated woodpecker story is that one day after patching about 8 holes in my guesthouse and barn made by pileated woodpeckers, I headed to the Swan River Nature Trail for a walk with Karl. Along the way a group of 6 people were crouched down with binoculars looking at something. I leashed Karl and we quietly approached to find out what they were watching…pileated woodpeckers!! They were a bird watching group from the midwest, all excited to see their first. I didn’t share their excitement…

But yesterday, having not left the property since the previous Friday and feeling like I just wanted to see another human being, I headed to Bigfork and the lake with Karl. Surprisingly there was little snow in the valley. I must be sitting right at the snowline. Although, the muddy brown of very early spring along with the blackened piles of snow from parking areas is not extremely attractive, it was nice to see more ground. Despite a brisk wind off the lake it felt warmer than I expected. Karl and I dawdled around the beach and then the cliff area we like.

This squall was making its way across the lake to the south. Squalls like this one passed through at my house off and on yesterday, but by mid-afternoon it cleared, warmed up and everything melted.

This morning, though, another fresh inch of snow coated everything. It is an interesting “Spring”.

*The woodpecker photos are also from our walk at the lake yesterday, although I see them in my woods quite often.

Status Quo

The month changed over but the scenery did not. One difference, though, these photos were taken in the 6:45 a.m. range this morning. That’s different from December!

And the inside scenery…

… status quo.

Yea, yea, yea

That above, produced this below…

yea, yea, yea…broken record…more snow.

Even Karl has had enough.

I have high hopes for April, mid-April that is. In the meantime, I can’t promise much in the way of variety.

Actually, this last storm wasn’t much of a storm at my house. The snow that has been falling overnight for the last several nights has been gone before noon as temperatures have barely hit freezing at night and are reaching 40 during the day. The local weather shows high wind in the valley, but my house is in a wind shadow once again and it is quiet. News reports list snow from 6 to 12 inches in Missoula (100 miles south) and south. Location, location, location!

More visitors

While working this afternoon 3 or 4 birds flew into the sunroom/office windows in fairly short succession. While not completely unheard of for a bird to hit one of the windows, it doesn’t happen all that often. After the 3rd or 4th hit, I started looking around.

The yard was full of these guys – not a sharp photo as they don’t sit still! Despite the fact that I have a recent edition of Peterson Field Guides: Western Birds, I have not yet identified a bird correctly on this blog. But, going out on a limb (hee!), I think these are finches, specifically White-winged Crossbill Finches. I await correction… They are tiny – about nuthatch size although the more rounded shape of a gold finch, smaller than a junco.

I’m not a bird watcher per se although I love watching the birds of prey and hummingbirds and it has been interesting to see birds on their migration spring and fall.

Bob was interested.

That is a tail in mid-thwap.