During a snow storm

Yesterday the snow continued until late in the morning. The wind blew and even the most daring of all the birds that visit my feeders hid out in the heavily snow covered bushes. This mugo pine is often home/host to several but not usually blue jays. They never seem to mind the weather.

But yesterday was a different story. You can tell by the plumped breast of the one on the right that it isn't going to be out in the wind for a bit.

The snow let up after a while. This pair of house finches - the male bright in his scarlet vest and his little mate on the bottom rung were joined by one of the many goldfinches that flocked to the deck, the east side feeder and the larger one on the west.

Then the hordes arrived.

This is just a few of the many that arrived, lunched, came back for mid-afternoon snacks and left around 3 after their final meal. A few chickadees hang about after that and a few of what seems about a dozen woodpeckers, and the mourning doves who love to inhabit the large spruce on the east side of the house...as well as my constant companions and informants - the jays.

And before long it was dusk, though I had managed an hour on snow shoes, brought in wood for the fire and generally enjoyed the sun which finally made an appearance. I even got some writing done... surprise surprise.

It struck me as a simply beautiful way to end what turned out to be a perfect day. Hope you have a perfect day today, many of them.