Brrrrrrrrding

Alan and I did some morning birding today in hopes for a Gadwall or Evening Grosbeak with the 1st stop being Orlando's to check out what was in the water and wishful thinking from both of us for a Greater White-fronted Goose!  We'd strike on that the goose of course except for the Canada's as well as many Mallards.

So we'd go to the other side where most of the gulls were as the farmer has just fed them a nice hearty breakfast of English Muffins!

Which the MANY Mallards seemed to enjoy as well.  We'd spend some time looking at the ducks hoping for something different but wouldn't see much but it was still funny to listen to the Mallards squabble among one another with that quack call they do when agitated.  I'm guessing the stress of the holidays is getting to them some.

We'd make other stops here and there looking for Evening Grosbeaks but for the most part passerine activity was light with the brisk winds so we went to Lake Lashaway to enjoy the cold, brisk air a little more!  I've forgotten how unforgiving wind can be at times as we looked out at the water in hopes for the Gadwall.  I'd look at all the summer cottages along the shore which are all now abandoned and resign myself to the fact that the nice weather is now officially over with so it's time to toughen up if one wants to bird, but I do have to admit I avoid cold winds at all costs, but one does what one needs to when a Gadwall is involved and no we never did see it.

So we'd head back toward Worcester and stop at Notre Dame and All Faith's Cemetery where there would be plenty of Mallards and Hooded Mergansers but not much else and also strike out on the Eastern Screech-owl nearby so we'd make one last stop to look at the gulls at the parking lot at Price Chopper (that's when you know birding is slow!).  There'd be scores of Ring-billed Gulls everywhere including quite a few freshly tagged Woot!!).  Alan wrote down all of the tags so if there's anything of interest on any of them I'll share it with all of you.

And while I haven't been birding as much as earlier now that migration is done with, I've managed to remain active with my new obsession of canning cranberries as you can see above.  Do you think I'll have enough to last me the year. ;-)

And for that matter, will I have the space to store them??  ;-)

Most likely yes as I'm already eating a lot of it including putting it on top of sugar poached fruit and will bring some to my mothers house at Christmas time as I made some pickled cranberries that are to die for and taste fantastic on a turkey sandwich!

Which I also have plenty of as I bought another one being a sucker for sales and all!  I've also been doing a lot of baking and freezing which goes hand in hand with the time of the year where I want to hang out in my fleece in my warm kitchen while watching the birds at my feeders while baking sugary yumminess waves through the air.

And the birds have been more than enough company with the Downy Woodpecker now being a regular as well as the goldfinches who are now inhaling the thistle so lesson learned to not buy some the year prior and think they'll eat it the next season.  One last note is I just saw the Cooper's Hawk across the street from me flying by so thinking it will be stopping in my yard sometime which can't come soon enough as my Mourning Dove numbers have really picked up and that's their favorite food from what I can tell.

Take care all