March 29, 2011-Birds-Squirrels-Vole-Deer

I always feel sad for this mommy squirrel. She looks sad. And when she does come down she doesn't look as if she's feeding babies.

The Tufted Titmouse and a sparrow. I don't know what kind.

A male and female Cardinal

A mother squirrel and the mother squirrel by her nest. You can really tell that this one is feeding babies.

The young deer, who is one of the twins that come with their mom, came down to look for some apples. There weren't any out there. he spotted me and went running off to the woods where his mom was. love how their tails look when the run.
A little Vole came out from his hole in the snow to get some food.

March 24, 2011-Blue Sky-Squirrel-Sunrise-Sunset-Skunk

The skies were so blue. I'm keeping an eye on this squirrel's nest.

The sun is just peeking through the woods and a few squirrels are running around.

This is the mother squirrel by her nest and when she was down on the ground but way back where I couldn't see her very well.

The sun going down and a male cardinal in the sunset.

One of the skunks. I'm starting to smell them all the time now. I can hear them arguing out there sometimes before I smell them.

From March 22, 2011-Chipmunks-Birds-Squirrels

A Black capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse and a female Cardinal.

The Chipmunks are all out now and there are lots of them!

They can still hide under the snow.

And some stay near the rock wall for safety. Some are smaller. Born late last fall I think.

And here's the mommy squirrel . She just came out of her nest and was cleaning herself. She only stays out for an hour and a half usually. She comes down to eat then heads back. Can't wait to start seeing the young ones if they make it.

March 21, 2011-Snowy Morning-Pileated Woodpeckers

I love the look on this BlueJay. He seems to be saying, "what the heck is this?"

Snowy morning. We got about two inches of wet snow. Then it turned into light rain but it didn't all melt away by evening like I thought it would. Most of it did though.

The birds were so happy that spring is here and now they have to deal with more snow.

Just thought I'd take a photo of these tracks. One is from the Red-Winged Black Bird and the others are the squirrels'.

I've only seen a few of these birds. They came with the Starlings when it was snowing. Saw a Grackle also but didn't get a picture of him. But soon there will be plenty of those around.

This chipmunk sure is stretching to see something out there..ha! A black cat has been hanging around here again. He likes to hunt here. He lives down the street.

And here was my favorite bird to see ! I've never seen a pair of them together so this was exciting for me. I love Pileated woodpeckers. I took some video of them and that's on Youtube.

Wish the photos were better but at least I got some of them.

Photos from March 20, 2011-Sunny Day

Sunrise through the woods. It's almost 9:00 am before I see the sun coming up. That's because of the hill.

Nice, sunny morning and a BlueJay flying in.

Lots of chipmunks out today. They were really enjoying the sun.

As you can see, we still have snow on the ground.

Chipmunks chasing each other through the rock wall. They are getting territorial again.

March 19, 2011-Critters-Scenery-Moon

Two chipmunks were chasing each other through the rock wall. I saw five chipmunks today!

A Black Capped Chickadee enjoying the sunny day. And a Tufted Titmouse. I'm not sure if that is a Song Sparrow or not in the other photo.

Black Capped Chickadee eating a seed.

One of the Chipmunks. He sure looks healthy!

This is a mother squirrel. I think she just had babies by the looks of her.

And the other mother squirrel hanging out by her nest. Not sure what is going on yet. A hawk is flying above her.

I went out at 7:30 last night hoping to see the moon as it was rising over the valley but I guess I was too soon. I didn't see it at all. On my way back home I took these photos overlooking the village of Herkimer. The lights on the hill are the Herkimer County Community College. There was still a bit of light in the sky after the sun went down.

So I came back home and waited for the moon to show up on my side of the building. I wish I could have stayed out and waited but it was cold and my foot hurt. The moon was coming up through the woods where I could see it around 9:30 pm. The trouble is the trees were in the way. When I opened the window at 10 pm to take another picture I saw one of the foxes so tried to get a picture of him before he scooted back into the woods.. You can just see him and the moon as a little speck on the left. I'd rather see the fox any day.

Took a few more pictures as the moon was rising but the darn trees were still in the way. That one photo is caused by the reflection from the three paned window. I tried to take it through the window but it just doesn't work so had to open the window. It was heading down to 19 degrees last night.

Finally at 2 am I got up to see where the moon was and it was in a clear area so I took these pics. But when it's up that high it looks like any other moon. It would have looked so awesome coming up on the horizon if I had gone back up on the hill to wait for it. But we are in a valley and there are hills around but I think it would have looked spectacular! I sure won't be around to see this kind of moon again..ha ha ! But I like all the moons.
In the morning I was hoping the moon might still be visible from my window but it wasn't. The western sky looked colorful at 7:30 am. But the eastern area from the woods was dull. The sun wouldn't come up for another hour or so through those woods. But for the first day of spring we are having a nice sunny day again! That will come to an end tonight when the clouds and rain move in. Might even have sleet on Monday morning with some snow. Back to winter I guess.

March 18, 2011 Collages-Squirrel By Nest-Chipmunk

The chipmunk sitting by his hole in the snow, which has now melted in a lot of spots and him digging down in the snow for a nut and sitting on top of the rock wall and in it.
One of the chipmunks hasn't been seen in a few days. I hope he's okay.

This is one of the female squirrels who will be having babies soon.

And here's the squirrel by her nest. She is hanging around it more these days so soon she will be having her babies too I think.

It was very windy Friday. She sat by the nest a lot and then went inside when the wind got really gusty.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

March 16. 2011-Sunrise-Squirrels

Sunrise through the back woods and a squirrel.

Different squirrels enjoying the sunny day yesterday.

Lots of fat mother squirrels right now. They haven't had their babies yet I guess.

This mother sits by that nest every night and then just before dark she comes down and goes off in different directions. but tonight I watched her as she went inside of it. I think she's getting ready to have her babies.

These were taken on the 15th. Today, the 16th it is cloudy and rainy. It got to 40 degrees today and will get up to 50 or better tomorrow with some sun! I think Spring is coming!! I sure hope so.