Can I just say....

I love Winter.  I really really love our Winter!  I know it's not always pleasant or comfortable, but I love it, each and every moment of Winter.  The cold, the snow, the grey sunless skies, the winter birds, the leafless trees, the quiet seemly empty forests, it's all so precious.  If I disliked Winter I would literately hate 1/4 of my life. Winter is my reality.  I choose to embrase it and look for all the best it has to offer.  This weeks blessing was a trip up to Frost Valley. Beautiful place where my oldest son has worked at multiple times over the last five years.  Wonderful to spend some time with him and meet all his coworkers.  It was ~13 last night and this morning we did a blissful snowshoe walk in 1 degree temps.  Awesome! 

You can't see beauty like this sitting in your warm house.  You have to get out there.  Life is happening now.  Do it! 

Trees

Red-shouldered Hawk

This bird has been around all Winter.  Such a beauty. 

Valentines Day Eagle trip

Today hubby and I went on a trip across the Hudson to look for Wintering Bald Eagles.  We located about 2 dozen birds total.  Always super exciting to see such stunning birds.  We also lucked on 2 Long-eared Owls.  Nice bonus for a wonderful couple of hours. Treated ourselves to a wonderful meal on the way home. 

Gyrfalcon!!!

I don't often get new birds on my life list.  Two days ago while on Face Plant I saw a post on a NY Bird group of pictures of a Gyrfalcon, at first I couldn't believe my eyes that the pictures were from  Wallkill NY!  Yesterday was out of the question for me to go and look for the bird as I had Nancy's funeral.  My friend Matt Zeitler got the bird at 3 pm.  These pictures are his.  I woke up this morning and decided I'm was out to find the bird.  Hubby and I drove around the area for a while, no one had seen the bird yet.  After about an hour I told hubby he can leave and he said no, he wanted me to see the bird. He parked the car where the bird was observed yesterday and not 5 minutes later we see the flock of ducks in the field right next to the car lift up, I knew in my heart that the bird was coming in.  He did!  We watched him dive bomb the ducks two times, and had amazing looks and he flew only ten feet over our heads.  Such a crazy adrenaline kick!  

Photo by Matt Zeitler

Photo by Matt Zeitler

Photo by Paul Bourdin

Today ranked as a top 10 birding moment.  Right up there with seeing my first Bald Eagle in Florida in 1978.  An adult and a juvenile on a nest, shown to me by my Grandpa.  Seeing a California Condor two times at two different visits to  the Grand Canyon.  Seeing Scarlet Macaws in Costa Rica.  Watching the class of 2002 Whooping Cranes flying behind an Ultralight. Last Winter seeing my first Snowy Owl. Birding never gets old, always something to look forward to. 

And can I add?.....I LOVE MY LIFE!  TRULY BLESSED TO GET TO DO WHAT I LOVE ON A DAILY BASIS! 

Full moon

This inspirational idea came from Fullmoon.info.

Dear full moon friends,

The full moon will be on Wednesday (or Tuesday for certain time zones).

Almost all people are searching: for happiness, for love, for fulfillment, for success, for recognition, for healing, for peace … for the unnameable something, which seems to be missing. This search leads us further away from ourselves, because we are looking outwards and hope for the fulfillment of a truth, that is inwardly already perfect. The less we search in the outer world, the more we will discover inside us.

NEW YORK = Tuesday * 3rd February 2015 * 06:08:54 pm (EST)

Winter storm Linus!

Winter storm Linus brought us about a foot of gorgeous snow.  The storm had perfect timing,  it started as the the Superbowl ended.  People knew it was going to be a bit of accumulation, so many had work called early, so most party goers could enjoy the game and the party. I already had all the essential food we needed in the house, and our Superbowl party hosts gave us a couple dozen eggs for breakfast as a party favor.  Their chickens are laying more then a dozen eggs each day. We enjoyed waking up to our world looking all bright and beautiful.  I filled my feeders and watched the action begin.  Hundreds of birds and more then a dozen squirrels kept me entertained the entire day.  It was ground hog day and he saw his shadow, so six more weeks of winter, which makes sense as we are six weeks away from the first day of Spring!  The boys went snowboarding and I made my annual Ground Hog day brownies, this time a paleo version.  After returning from Snowboarding, they gobbled them up in no time at all.  We had a table full for dinner, while watching the Rangers win.   All in all....a terrific way to spend a post snowstorm day.

The Black kids look GREAT!  2 females and 1 male were all here at the same time today.  The females were at the feeder together.  I'm assuming they were mother daughter or sisters.  When we move from our home of 26 years what I will miss is my wild creatures.  I will miss my flock of 2 dozen cardinals who visit during snow storms and my black squirrels.