Another Storm!!

Got up early and waiting for the what the weather distributors call the biggest snow of the year. It's January..people...and in PA you expect it. This storm is to dump foot on this small town... I don't mind the snow, its the cold temps that get me. Right now its coming down and visibility is about ..what visibilty it all white. Sitting in the sunroom and watching the birds feed heavyly your glad to be warm and snug inside. I have two weeks until my elderly father moves back in and my personal privacy (space) is to be no more.........I will weather this storm and the others that are to come ....

Back to the birds... While the computer was down with a virus and at its doctor for emergency care I enjoyed watching the feathered friends. We have one bird that has us stumped..All the field guides and research leads us to believe its a female three-toed woodpecker. Who is way out of her range. The local Audubon Society (Pittsburgh) thinks its a inmature sapsucker, but they have 4 toes and the coloring and markings are way off. My suet is about twelve feet from the window (as you can see in the flying five pic below) Wish I had a better camera with zoom, or my out-dated camrecorder still had life to get a up close beak to tail photo..Does anyone reading this have any pictures of three-toed woodpeckers, please comments below. She's all alone when shes feeds; not like the downeys or red-bellied that come in to feed..mates aren't far off. It's a mystery ..
The past Wednesday the feeder had another visitor....A Red-tailed hawk....He came in for lunch on the fly, his victim gave him the run for his money but lost...What a sight to watch...Mid air catch..
More later from Lost..........

It's a Wood Frog

One of favorite pictures
This Little guy stayed close to an old pine tree in the side yard this past summer. He was usually disturbed when we mowed. If only my prince would come!!!! My backyard is huge...I have 33 acres, two ponds, lots of trees and a gas well. The gas well is the best for the winter months...its free to the house. I'm really lucky to have it. Some of the neighbors use fuel oil and the cost really hurts them. I remember having a woodburner before we had the well drilled. Alot of work!!! I miss the steady heat...
The best part about my backyard is seeing the deer. The other night 6 does were in the yard at the apple trees; they forgot that they ate them all already. We have one yearling that browses when ever she feels like it. Morning, noon, night..For you bowhunters and rifle hunters there was an huge buck in rutting season and 5 others that visited the salt lick..to far to take a picture of them.. I almost took up hunting again! I'm sure that some lucky hunter has bragging rights to one of these deer. I'll post more later................

About the Flying Five

Usually they don't come all at once, but this time they did. They surry in and out all night long. (Southern Flying Squirrels) We had hoped for Northern the rare and almost gone species due to logging and parsitesand other issues. But still enjoy seeing them glide in every night as soon as darkness approaches. They are always on high alert for preditors such as cats and owls that are in the area.

Nightly Visitors

The Flying five!!

Awaiting a storm

Here in this small town the only thing one can await is a storm. The past two days have been rain, (local flooding, I had one pond not the usual two) now the winter blahs...are to come.
Not the only storm brewing; the one in my heart has to make a decision. As time goes by I will post what my decision is. But for not I'll keep it to myself..... I will also post some pics of my birdfeeder and the animals that visit this small town; some welcomed-some not.....