Yesterday Was "For The Birds!"

It snowed yesterday.

After a brief fiery sunrise, 

the clouds thickened and the snow soon began to fall.

Standing inside my window, looking out at the bird feeder...

it occurred to me how much like birds we people are when it snows.

Just like we humans flocking to the grocery store for bread and milk....

(will we die without these two items?)

the birds flock to the feeder as if it might be their last meal!

The bird feeder was filled to the max...

with more birds waiting in the trees...

and in the bushes.

Even the Cardinals, who are usually quite territorial,

set aside their protective tendencies

and tolerated each others' presence, taking turns flitting onto the feeders.

A Bluejay, who by nature is a ground feeder,

flew from tree branch to feeder several times....

taking his seeds back to the tree to crack open and eat.

All of the typical species of winter bird was present...

Goldfinches, House Finches, Purple Finches, Black-capped Chickadees,

Tufted Titmice,

 Nuthatches, Cardinals (3 male and 3 female), Bluejay,

as well as downey woodpeckers...

and red-bellied woodpeckers.

I left the farm when the snow stopped 

and ran a few miles away to a farm store

for beef cubes (it was the perfect day for beef stew).

On my way home, I noticed this fellow in a field...

I stopped the car and took a few photos.

He's a Short Eared Owl.

First one of his kind that I have ever seen!

They can only be found in Pennsylvania in the winter months...

preferring the habitat of open fields.

If nothing else, yesterday convinced me how important it is to always have my camera with me!