What Was I Doing Last Christmas?

One of the holiday songs that is being played over and over this year is a song called "Last Christmas". I think the original version was by George Michael but I've heard at least 2 more versions of it this year.

Anyway, it made me wonder what I was doing last Christmas so I checked my photos and found out that I went bird watching that day. That is the boardwalk at Lyman's golf course.I found a Great Blue Heron that morning on an icy little patch of  a puddle that I could almost jump across.             Then we had a stare down and I think the heron won!

Christmas Count During Covid

Fortunately, our ability to spend time outdoors has not been ruined by the covid pandemic. We had our annual Christmas count with a few changes: No carpooling, no group restaurant lunch break, and social distancing. We used masks to varying degrees but binoculars fog up when you're wearing a mask and we weren't going to do without binoculars.

The weather was just okay and the day was cut a little short due to additional snow showers. 

Included in our list this year was 4 Yellow-bellied Spasuckers and 2 Hermit Thrush as seen in the first two photos.

I'm not a fan of walking through the snow but it did burn off a few calories. We only had about 35 species which down about 10 species from our usual count but all in all it was a great day. It is nice to be outdoors and away from the constant barrage of  news.

Return Of The Hooded And The Hoodless

One thing I look forward to during the approach of cold weather is the return of the mergansers to inland lakes and rivers. The Hooded Mergansers have a nice contrast of color and do like to dive.

The larger Common Merganser is a little less flashy and lack the hood but one thing they share with their smaller cousins is that they too, like to dive. Both of them add a visual warmth to an otherwise cold, dreary lake.

It's Not Rare-Just A Blue Jay

I never take pictures of Blue Jays because they're so common, may people don't like their attitude, and they're less cooperative than they're worth. I believe that if they were rare birds, birders would travel the country to see one. 

It kind of says something about the way humans think. Always appreciating what we can't have more than what is right in front of us.