LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Noisy Nuthatches

Oh, is it February already? Guess I'd better keep my promise to resume the blog. Things are still quite hectic but all is well. What a spring it will be when everyone is back to whatever passes for normal.

Like most of North Carolina, we have had some severe weather with huge snow storms, freezing rain and ice. Unfortunately, we are expecting another episode for the weekend. The TarHeel basketball team can't seem to get it together so hopes are dim for a good year for them. Fortunately we have movies to watch and some really great books to read. How convenient that some of my favorite authors have come out with new books this winter. Right now I am mostly finished with Elizabeth Kostova's The Swan Thieves and it definitely proves her first book (The Historian) was not a "one-hit" wonder. A great plot with interesting characters and while totally different from her first book it is equally well-written and absolutely fascinating.

We have enjoyed watching the backyard birds eating us out of house and home. One of our most vocal birds this time of year is the White-breasted Nuthatch. Among our earliest nesters, they have already been searching houses and cavities. I don't recall these rituals so early, but clearly they are getting an early start this year.















The nuthatches checked out his very house last year and decided against it. I do hope they will use it this year but only time will tell.
I'm hoping to do more reading of your own blogs as we approach better times. I'll likely spend quite a few hours catching up because I truly am interested in finding out what's going on in your lives.
HEY! The sun is shining!


27 comments:

The Bug said...

Welcome back!

Vicki Lane said...

Wonderful shots! We've missed you!

Janet said...

Welcome Back!

Your photos are beautiful!

I woke up to birds chirping the other morning and thought, Finally! Spring is on her way...

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

I was so happy to see your blog pop up on my RSS feed this morning!
I love your little tin-patched bird house. I'm always looking for book suggestions so I jotted down your author.

Cedar ... said...

So glad to see you posting again! your header pic of the cardinal is beautiful, as are your nuthatch shots. Sorry you have had so much nasty weather, here, so much father north we've had a mild winter -- go figure! See you again soon!

Dog_geek said...

Yay - glad to see that you have survived January! I just love nuthatches - I hope they move in to that cool little house!

Cheryl said...

It is so good to have you back. You and the golden girls have been missed very much (by me).

The photographs of the nuthatch are great and what a cute little bird box. I am sure he/she will take up residence this year.
They are lovely birds.....very similar to our little nuthatch.

Glad the sun peeped out, it only for a little while....

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Welcome Back. Hope things settle down for you two.. Your weather has been much worse than ours this winter. We did get snow and ice last weekend--but don't think we'll get much if any this weekend. I am ready for spring now too!!!!

Love your Nuthatches. Hope they nest there.
Hugs,
Betsy

kks said...

so glad to see you back...i was missing you!
xo

Rae said...

Nice photos. I like watching the nuthatches that feed around our place. It is interesting to see them feed while hanging upside down. Glad to see you back. Hope you had a nice bogging respite.

Thistlebrooms said...

Hope you are well rested and had many, many wonderful well deserved walks with the Girls...
I'm leaving myself on Sunday and staying in Asheville (my nieces) en route to my brothers in Florida.
I too look forward to the time for rest, relaxation and just catching up. I'm of course driving with my sidekick Mister BeauJ & hope to visit many of the Bird Sanctuaries along the Gulf Coast.
These northern winter's are getting a bit too much for me.
Loving your photos and keep posting Carolyn...

As Always
~Marilyn

robin andrea said...

Great to see a new post here, and with such beautiful bird photos! Welcome back! Lovely little nuthatches you have there. I saw my first nuthatch just a few weeks ago. It was a Red-breasted Nuthatch, moving quickly up the trunk of a tree. Hard to photograph, but totally delightful to see.

Anonymous said...

Oh, what a treat to have you back!!

Sun was out here today, but Friday we're supposed to get a "wintry mix." Don't put away the snow shovel.

Barb said...

Glad to see you back! Your bird photos are harbingers of spring. Surely the Nuthatch can't be wrong...Hope you and the Golden Girls are well.

Jane said...

Great to see you back!

Jane

Robin's Nesting Place said...

I love nuthatches! I've had two visiting here for the first time this winter.

Glad to see you posting again!

Jayne said...

Welcome back Carolyn! We've missed you. I'm sure you all were knee deep in the snow up there in the mountains. Love seeing your little nuthatch is already scoping out a nesting place.

KB said...

I'm so happy to have you back! I hope that you're rejuvenated, and if not, just scale back your blogging efforts. I love any posts that you can find time for!

Funny, a white-breasted nuthatch checked out one of my birdhouses two days ago. I chortled and told her that it was much too early. We've never had a nuthatch use one of our houses. It would be such fun if one would.

BTW, I woke up a bear family yesterday, blundering through the woods, and you might enjoy the photos. Please don't worry. They can literally barely move when they wake up while hibernating so I was as safe as could be. I also had a huge pepper spray an on my belt in case they had access to Starbucks to wake them up faster!

JeanMac said...

Sunshine and birds! Yeah! Glad you are back.

abb said...

YIPPEE! A sure sign of the spring that's just around the corner!

abb said...

And welcome back!

Erica Houskeeper said...

Glad you're back! Great to hear from you again. Very nice photos!

Anonymous said...

Welcome back - was wondering where you were. It has been a wild year weather wise - still coming with snow and sleet tonight!

Carol Murdock said...

Welcome back Carolyn! Today is Friday, hope to see the Golden Girls today! :)

troutbirder said...

Nesting already? Oh my. Well its absolutely great to see you back on the job, Carolyn. Missed you.

100 Thoughts of Love said...

ah welcome back!! love the tin roofed bird house!!

Twisted Fencepost said...

Yes, the weather has been quite strange this year.
And the birds seem to be moving in a little earlier around here too.
Glad you're back!