Scattered Seed

I grew up and attended school in a much less complicated time.    I grew up in the B.C. era (Before Calculators).

Back then we had two holidays in February.   One on February 12th to celebrate Abe Lincoln’s birthday,  and another on the 22nd to celebrate George Washington’s.    Now we have the third Monday in February to celebrate these presidents (or is it all presidents?)  or shop the President’s Day sales.    We chose to skip the stores,  and headed out for another day with nature.     I don’t get a holiday or open spaces often enough,  and the fresh air and birdsong was just what I needed,  and I think the Presidents would approve.

Despite an overnight snowfall and overcast skies,  we saw some beautiful scenery.

After many roads-less-traveled and hills climbed,  we neared the Keuka Lake area.    This farm sat on the road below us,  and I could see the stone fence ran from one end of the property to the other.

We drove down for a closer look,  and marveled at the work that must have been involved to collect the stones and lay the fence.

George,  always on the lookout for something unusual,  spotted this turkey down the road,  probably a victim of a car collision.

After about three hours of meandering,  we finally arrived at the Keuka Lake shore.

We saw these common goldeneye,  several mallards,  buffleheads and Canada geese just off shore.

After a stop in Bath for lunch, George felt like continuing on,  so we took some more backways,  along the Canisteo River and the rail line there,  on into Addison,  and finally on home.

It wasn’t a good bird-photographing day,  but we did see quite a bit.     Chickadees,  juncos,  downy woodpeckers,  robins,  blue jays, crows, cardinals,  rock pigeons,  red-tailed hawks,  eastern bluebirds,  a red-bellied woodpecker, a hairy woodpecker,  goldfinches,  and an American tree sparrow.

It was a very pleasant holiday.      Thank you George (my George),  George,  and Abe.

It was the song of the redwing blackbird that stirred me from sleep this morning. It was like awakening to springtime, and it coaxed me from my warm bed.

I did a full hour’s count for The Great Backyard Bird Count,  with my numbers much improved over yesterday. Blue jays, black-capped chickadees, mourning doves, house finches, goldfinches, juncos, house sparrows, a downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, many pine siskins, starlings of course, and at least five redwings.

Mid-morning we headed in the direction of Watkins Glen, taking back roads, enjoying the sunny day and scenery.

We did a little shopping in town, then back out into the country for a roundabout drive home. For awhile we traveled over roads we were unfamiliar with, and without a map, it was a mystery where we would end up.   As long as we have a sunny day and a full tank of gas,  I enjoy the adventure.    George always wishes we had a map,  but in 36 years, we’ve never failed to arrive home.

We kept our eyes out for birds along the way,  but for some reason we tend to zip along faster in the Miata on a sunny day than we do in my car on any other day.   We did spot this Eastern bluebird sitting in a tree between two small lakes,  and it made up for all the birds we didn’t see.

Both our lunch and dinner were shared with friends  -  fast food for lunch in Painted Post, where friends happened to stop in at the same time that we did,  and a buffet dinner with George’s fellow union members,  at a restaurant in Elmira.     After a long winter of near-hibernation,   it was nice to be back out and about.

We went out for a drive today since the sky was clear and the temps were rising. We meandered on back roads, finding few birds out of the ordinary, except three robins high in a tree in Burdett.

George suggested we drive north again, and check to see if the snowy owl was still in the field where we saw it last week. Arriving about 3 p.m, we not only spotted it in the same field, but it was just a few feet from where it sat last Sunday.

The lighting was better, so our pictures are a little better this time.

When it flew off, it also headed in the same direction where it landed last week. This time we could see it from where we’d parked, looking like a little snowman on the hill.

It was well worth the drive….

After our snowy owl and turkey sightings on Sunday, we drove down by Cayuga Lake. Both George and I grew up nearby, and we knew, with the temperature finally above freezing,  it would be a great day for a deep breath of lake air.

The geese and ducks were noisy and abundant,  enjoying their day in the sunshine too.

We left the house early this morning, wanting to drive around the countryside near home to see what birds were about.   Fortunately, George knows most of the back roads in the area and where they will take us.

We started out where we saw the snow buntings last weekend. George had spotted them yesterday on a training run, but today they were nowhere in sight.  We did see a downy, goldfinches, cardinals, blue jays, crows, mourning doves, Canada geese, a red-tailed hawk, chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, eastern bluebirds, and a mockingbird along the way.

It was a frigid morning at 2 degrees, and I was thankful that we were doing our birding by car. Ice hung from the banks as we drove towards Watkins Glen,  and the falls that we pass by were frozen solid.

It was a beautiful drive up along Seneca Lake,  the sun shining,  and the water bright blue.

After a stop in Seneca Falls at Sauder’s for supplies,  we did a quick stop near the visitor’s center at Montezuma before going on to Auburn. George spotted two eagles passing over the fields,  and we tried several different places to catch a better glimpse,  and photos,  but they kept their distance.

We arrived at Dad and Evelyn’s in time for lunch,  then spent the rest of the afternoon playing euchre.   It is not a game that I play often,  so it took a while for me to get the hang of it.

By the time I had my strategy worked out,  the sun was going down, and we decided we’d better start for home.

My eyes were fluttering towards sleep as soon as we left Auburn,  and it was just by chance that I caught sight of a flock of turkeys crossing a field in single file.    It was an impressive sight,  about thirty of them,  dark against the snow.

Having that picture  (in my head only), I promptly nodded off.

Last night as we watched the news and pre-inauguration events, George suggested ordering a pizza.   Garrett found a place that could make any kind imaginable, so we shared a Buffalo chicken pizza….spicy hot, but yum.

We slept pretty well on our air bed,  complete with our flannel sheets and pillows from home.

I was sleeping near the patio door, and was able to peak out occasionally to check on the weather.

We watched some more of the events in Washington this morning  and Garrett made us some homemade sloppy joes and coleslaw for lunch.   I enjoyed sitting at his new kitchen table, watching the comings and goings at the apartment complex. The meal was just perfect for a winter’s day, and delicious.  He’s a good cook.

We were on the road about 3 o’clock, and immediately we knew it was going to be slow-going for awhile. The snow was quite heavy, and we encountered near-white-outs in places.

Coming in to East Aurora,  the theater marquee glowed through the falling snow.

More miles of heavily falling snow,  and I was thinking that it might have been a better idea to have stayed with Garrett another day.    Just at that point, the weather broke and we saw the light of day.

West of Warsaw, as we came up a rise in the road, suddenly before us, the hill was covered in wind turbines. We had seen no sign that they would be erected there on our last trip to Orchard Park, so it was a little startling to find so many on the horizon. They made the barns below them appear to be in miniature.   It seemed there were at least twenty across the hills to either side of us.

Once I knew that the weather had cleared and the going would be easier, my eyes began to flutter, and I dozed off for a half hour or so.   It was just enough to refresh me,  so that when we hit a bump on 390,  I was fully awake again for the remainder of the ride home.

We arrived here about six, with evidence of new snow in our driveway, but nothing as measurable as we had encountered as lake effect near Buffalo.

I love the newness of the year, the fresh start, the clean slate. Not knowing what this year will bring, but hoping and planning for the best. I stayed up till midnight last night simply to watch the little calendar on my laptop absorb Dec 31, and emerge with Jan 1….I am easily amused. Once the new year had arrived, I was content to close my eyes and have a good night’s sleep.

This morning there was more snow to brush away and the chill in the air of 16 degrees. We went over to Dad and Evelyn’s to return the warm socks  loaned to me, and for breakfast of bacon and eggs before heading back home.

As we headed south the snow seemed less and less, till home, where here there are only a couple of inches on the ground.

The birds out back were pecking around at the near-empty feeders…..mourning doves, house finches, juncos, house sparrows, goldfinches, starlings, and a single American tree sparrow that I haven’t seen in a very long time. (It came and went before I could unpack my camera). Not to disturb them, I waited till they had dispersed, then headed out to pour more seed.

Tonight it seems good to be back home,  soon to be in my own bed.    I’m glad, though,  that we had the chance to take the trip with Dad and Evelyn,  adventuresome as it was.    Seventy-five miles separate us,  and we don’t get to help them out often enough.

Our snow is gone, but the winter weather lurks out there. We had plans to head to Auburn tomorrow morning, pick up my dad and Evelyn, and head on to Rochester for her doctor’s appointments. As we were on our way to the kennel to drop Martha off this afternoon

(poor Martha, I hate leaving her), we heard the weather report complete with a winter weather advisory for early morning. We decided we would gather up our things, and head out tonight.
We arrived in town as dark had settled in. We stopped at the mall for a quick bite to eat….the eatery only took cash…..we had to find an ATM. As we walked away from the machine, I looked up at the sign over the neighboring store, and saw the name of old friends that we haven’t seen in over twenty years. They had a strawberry farm last we knew, and now they have a winery!   The saleslady was very helpful, and we chose a nice elderberry wine. We are enjoying it tonight, as we relax at in our motel room. I will have to get a note off to Marge and Angelo to tell them we love their wine.
I called Dad about 8 o’clock. I knew they had a full day with visitors, so we said we would see them early in the morning. George’s alarm is set for 6:30. Being here has allowed us an extra couple hours of sleep at least. We’ll see what the weather brings in the morning.

This is my vacation week, or my four days, I should say. I have to report back to work on Friday. With all the preparation for Christmas, I really didn’t put much thought into how I would spend my days this week, other than New Year’s Eve day, which has been planned.
Today, being sunny and pleasant, I was torn between wanting to be home to putter around the house and enjoy the birds at my feeders, or getting out and away for the day.   I could be quite happy staying put,  but these days off don’t come often enough.
I spent a couple of hours in the kitchen, tidying up and keeping an eye out back. Squirrels were the attraction of the day. I had cut up some aging apples, and smeared them with peanut butter, and this little one took notice.

His buddy was busy elsewhere.    I had George put a bungee cord over the roof,  so he couldn’t pop that off easily.   This guy simply tipped it over….(its rope hanger had been previously chewed)

Time for a new plan,  or feeder.

Mid-morning we headed out on errands, and drove on into Pennsylvania to Ives Run for a drive-through (only one crow, one hawk unidentified, and a blue jay were spotted).     A pretty area to explore nonetheless.
Lunch was at the diner in Wellsboro,  then the drive back on route 6, through the hills in the afternoon sun which promptly put me to sleep. So much for my outing, I just couldn’t keep my eyes open.
Either at home or in the car,  I am destined for some rest and relaxation this week.   I think the past couple of months are catching up with me.

It was such a nice day for October,  a little cool,  but the sun was out,  and the temps eventually went into the 60’s.   I got up earlier than usual to check out the bird situation,  and found a flurry of activity out back through the morning.

George cleaned out the nyjer feeder, hung some more corn cobs,  and filled a small feeder that I had put away for the summer.    I got down on my hands and knees,  and planted some red tulip bulbs that I bought a week ago.    Together we cleaned up the little garden plot out front,  and completed our list of outdoor chores for this weekend.

Enjoying the fresh air,  and not wanting to go back indoors,  we decided to head out for an afternoon drive in the Miata with the top down.

Our first stop was Park Station, to see what birds might be about.

We saw chickadees, a titmouse, brown creeper,  mallard, crows,  goldfinch,  blue jay,  and juncos.     We continued on down towards Chemung,  where George had seen a bald eagle this past week while on his way to Binghamton,  but there was no sign of it today.

It was just a short hop across the border into Pennsylvania, where we drove for our Sunday dinner in Athens before heading back home.

I’m afraid that nice days like this will be lost to us all to soon,  so I’m glad we got out to enjoy this one. (And gas was down to 2.99 a gallon in New York,  2.74 a gallon in Pennsylvania).