Wintery Sunday evening on McCartyville Road...

I forgot to mention last week that the owls have been back and set up shop in the corn field behind the house.  I first noticed them about a week and a half ago, and have been seeing them in the evenings one or two at a time.  But tonight, they must have organized a hunting party because about 1730 hrs. I happened to look out back and saw a bunch of brown spots lined up along the runway by the edge of the cornfield.  They are easier to spot now because there is snow on the ground.  Also, they showed up well in the setting sun as it cast its long shadows across the field.  They were too far away to get a picture -- even with the telephoto lens on the camera, but I could easily see them with the field glasses. 

Meanwhile, the little birds around the house were busy flapping around the feeders, fighting over the birdseed.  We have some bluejays, a few very bright cardinals, doves, and lots of little flappers.  They still congregate at the feeder my dad build many, many years ago.  However, they now have a new feeder to check out.  It has been hanging up for a few days and they have been a bit wary of it.  The cardinals and the little flappers have now found it and have hit it up pretty hard for seed.  This feeder also has a place on each side for suet and it seems the bluejays have found those to their liking.  One side is a high energy apple-flavorer mix of some sort, and the other is a penutbutter-seed mixture.  The old feeder has been empty for a couple of days now, and I have refused refilling it until the birds discovered the new feeder.  That only took them a couple of days.  Smart birds.

Pam and I thought it took so long for them to get used to it because it has a red roof and looks like a pizza hut.  One interesting note -- we bought this at Lowes.  They had a whole slew of them on the shelves.  Funny -- this was the only one out of about 10 other styles that was made in America.  Seems China has the corner on birdfeeders.  By the way, this one was made in Ohio!!

One other thing I noticed this evening was how it was still light here and it was after 6:00 p.m.  It was cold and there was snow on the ground, but with daylight that late into the day, golf season can't be too far away.

God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest.

Hooah