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.