Friday, February 02, 2007

Silver trees

How about this beautiful forest of silver trees? Actually, it was "Jack Frost" on my garage door windows. When I backed out this morning it was 6 below zero and as I idled in the driveway waiting for the car to warm up, I glanced up and saw this fantasyland of "trees" spread across all four windows, reflecting a neighbor's house and drifts of snow in the background. So the "trees" aren't real, but the cold and snow is. I heard Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow today so spring is right around the corner. We don't really believe that here. There's been some discussion about using a prairie dog to get a local reading, but they're probably all snowed into their burrows. Meanwhile I've taken to clipping fake birds onto my flowering maple which is wintering indoors. This makes me think of warmer weather.
I'm not sure where all the real outdoor birds have gone. Lately the only customers I've had at the feeders are squirrels. But I did see a large flock of robins the other day. I happened to be looking out the front window when I saw about 50 of them land in a tree across the street. I watched them for awhile and suddenly a truck out on the main road backfired and robins exploded out of tree after tree. There were probably 150. Though most robins head south like sensible birds we always have a population of them who over-winter. I think I saw the whole crowd.
robin photo credit

20 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

I like the picture of the frost trees. It looks like glass etching. We were -8 this morning. Too cold to expect spring any time soon. Where did you get those clip on birds? I'd love to have some around the house. Robins always make me think of summer. Can't you just hear the robin evening song? Sigh...

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Do you think those robins could puff up any rounder!! :)

Carol Michel said...

I WANT to believe the GroundHog, even though it is 10 degrees right now, "feels like -7". I want to believe, I want to believe...

Charley "Apple" Grabowski said...

Lynne is right, the frost looks like etched glass. Very beautiful.

Phil didn't see his shadow but Dunkirk Dave did. I'd love an early spring but they are rare here.

Sparrows are the only birds I've seen here lately.

LostRoses said...

Oh yes, glass etching! It does look like that. Lynne, I found the birds at Kmart before Xmas, I think they're supposed to clip onto your Xmas tree as I found them in the ornaments dept. Robins on the lawn in the late afternoon...I can only dream.

Carol, I'm pretty sure the groundhog routinely lies about the weather. But then, so do the weathermen!

Apple, I had to look up Dunkirk Dave. At least he had the sense to make a likely prediction!

Jean said...

I love both of your pictures! Just beautiful!

Jean said...

Love the frost pic! Those robins sure look cold. Great picture!

Clare and Mike said...

What an amazing frosty photo! When we saw the film Groundhog Day here in England, we thought it was totally fiction but have since heard differently! We have been having Spring here - sunshine, birds singing and Spring bulbs popping up everywhere - most unseasonal! Clare x

Mary said...

I think the birds are confused this year. The country has been unseasonably warm and unseasonably cold in most places, but you HAVE ROBINS! Lost Roses, spring is around the corner. We need to hang in there and wait. My part of the country is way below the average temps for the past few weeks and I saw a Robin a month ago, when it was warm, but not since. Your frosty photos are great. Think Spring!

LostRoses said...

Jean, I'm sure the frost disappeared shortly after I left since the sun shone brightly all that day even though it only warmed up to 15 degrees. I don't often see frost on the windows, so I thought it was picture-worthy too!

Clare, I don't blame you for thinking the Groundhog Day thing was a joke! We don't actually have that kind of groundhog in the West, ours are called marmots (or whistle pigs) and they inhabit the tundra up in the mountains. If they look for their shadow, nobody is watching!

Yes, Mary, the abundance of robins has to be a harbinger of something - perhaps false hope? Oh well, in another few months I'll be complaining of the heat!

Anonymous said...

We usually have robins during the winter, but I haven't seen one this year. Maybe what with global warming they decided to stay up north. Shame. I love seeing them hop around, looking for a meal.

Annie in Austin said...

You did find a thing of beauty, LostRoses, and in the garage, of all places!
Pam says she's seen robins in Austin, and other friends have said so, too, but they've never shown up in my garden so far - a few cardinals were around yesterday. It is strange to think of them not leaving for the winter!

Is it your hope that Abutilon-Flowering maple just survives winter inside, or will it actually bloom? The birds look more real when they have it as a background.

Annie at the Tranplantable Rose

Jeanette said...

Gday I just popped over from Rusty"s. love the frost on your garage windows it looks like etched glass. those little birds in your lounge look like they could burst into song.
were having very hot weather here today was 42c=105f

Naturegirl said...

Jack frost has painted a lovely sketch on that window pane. I saw 1 robin the other day and said to it "go fly away somewhere warm!" Looks like your group don't listen either!

Leann said...

the pictures are so pretty.the one with the robins in the snow is so nice.you can tell they are cold poor little guys.and the silver trees is awesome.it does look like someone eched it on there.well God bless.have a nice week.

Diana LaMarre said...

Wow, I've never seen more than a couple of robins at one time. What a sight it must have been!

I won't be seeing any for at least another 4-5 weeks.

LostRoses said...

Pam, there's some who think our "winter robins" are ones who nest much further north in the summer and have come south to Colorado for the winter. Presumably our normal population went to more southerly climes. Hopefully you'll see one hopping around your garden soon!

Annie, I'd be happy to trade a few robins for a few cardinals! If one shows up around here that sighting will be on the birding hotline!

The abutilon doesn't bloom in the winter, at least not in my house. I dutifully haul it in and out each winter and summer to keep it alive. I'm never sure whether it's worth it, especially now that it's so tall!

Oh, Jeanette, 105! I'd be crying the blues!

Naturegirl, the birds must know what they're doing but I must admit they seem confused to me!

Leann, no frost today, we got up to 55 degrees! A real heat wave.

Zoey, I bet I don't see any robins on my lawn until about April. Assuming the snow all melts by then!

Sigrun said...

Nice frosty photos! We have snow in the moment, but it is not cold enough, it will not stay.

Sigrun

Boxwood Cottage said...

Jack Frost has painted beautifully at your window LR! Oh my your Robins are so big against ours! Me too I wonder where all the real birds are hiding this winter, I just have titmice at my feeders at the moment. Maybe the others are only coming when I'm at work lol
Btw I'm giving away my heart for Valentine, if you like to know more about you can find out on my blog today!

Babika said...

I live in Groton, Massachusetts and I saw exactly the same flock of birds like you. I also took some pictures but my didn't come out good. They looked like robins but I was little bit confused because they were little bit more plump and what confused me was that they were in flock of at least 50 and it was January. Usually we see the first robin or two hopping in the yard at this time of the year. Aren't robins one of the first signs that spring is near?