Another Day and A Gray Squirrel

I started out the day with a pasture dotted with Black Angus cattle. Nothing wild here, I just liked the setting, kind of calming. Today, another 40 degree January day, offered a very cooperative Gray Squirrel. He didn't seem to mind me photographing his activities. He got nervous once and left but was back within a couple minutes. My guess hunger was the easyer demon to deal with than the threat of me being there. While in the same area as the squirrel a Red-breasted Woodpecker, House Finch and Northern Cardinal were using the tree line as a food source and a place to rest.

Bovine burger on the hoof...

A Grey Squirrel tears apart a hedge apple...

Trying to manage his lunch...

Grey Squirrel with a fist full of hedge apple... 

Just can't seem to get enough...

He continues his lunch...

A Red-breasted Woodpecker...

A Red-breasted Woodpecker gives a quick glance...

A House Finch sitting in the sun...

A Northern Cardinal watches over all below...

 

This is what I saw this morning...

My walk this morning presented me a surprise seeing a nice seven point buck laying at the edge of the woods soaking up the sun. Seeing a nice buck this time of year is pretty rare. He still has his antlers, many have lost them by now and he is still alive after the hunting season.  A Red-tailed Hawk was perched in a tree across a field. He gave me one shot before exiting out and away. The away shot is not so good but identifies from where he gets his name. The Eastern Bluebird stopped long enough for one shot. I got lucky with the Northern Cardinals, both a male and a female gave me a photo op. Lastly a tufted Titmouse was struggling with a large piece of hedge apple. It was a nice morning.
 

It's always good to see them before they see you...

Something's up over there...

OK... Time to go...

Red-tailed Hawk...

The Red tail of the Red-tailed Hawk...

The Eastern Bluebird...

A Northern Cardinal (m)...

A Northern Cardinal (fm)...

A Northern Cardinal (fm)...

A Tufted Titmouse dining on a piece of hedge apple...

Tufted Titmouse checking out his lunch...

My Yard Birds...

With the exception of the Red-shouldered Hawk all others; Brown Creeper, Black-capped Chickadee, Goldfinch (winter plumage), Carolina Wrens and the American Tree Sparrow were all yard birds. 

A tiny Brown Creeper...

A couple of my favorites, Carolina Wrens...

A Black-capped Chickadee...

A Black-capped Chickadee working on a sunflower seed...

Goldfinch (winter plumage)...

A Red-shouldered Hawk taking a look back...

Red-shouldered Hawk...

An American Tree Sparrow chillin'...

An American Tree Sparrow selecting a seed...

Thanks for stopping by...

Fox Squirrel...

I finally got my photos of some Fox Squirrels. The Osage Oranges were scattered across the the ground and provided an ample supply of forage for the squirrels. It was an overcast wet morning and I really wasn't expecting much. That's what made it even better. They came, they ate and were gone. 

Fox Squirrel nibbling on an Osage Orange...

Fox Squirrel...

Fox Squirrel...

Fox Squirrel...

Fox Squirrel...

Fox Squirrel...

Fox Squirrel...

 

 

  Thanks for stopping by...

Red-shouldered Hawk...

This first shot of a young Whitetail made me smile. I'm sure he thought I couldn't see him. He was only twenty feet away. I don't think he was so sure what to do next.  He did what they all do, bounded away with its tail in the air.  I then had the fortunate morning experience of having a Red-shouldered Hawk give me a bit of his time. His perch offered me a good photo opportunity.

You can't see me...

Red-shouldered Hawk...

Red-shouldered Hawk...

Here's lookin' at ya... Red-shouldered Hawk...

Red-shouldered Hawk...

 

Somtimes... Ice Is Nice...

My walks have short changed me a little bit in terms of fur and feathers. Having a couple days of single digit temps I was out looking for whatever I could, I discovered Ice. I did get lucky with a Great Blue Heron standing on the back side of a frozen pond. Then a Red-shouldered Hawk landed in a tree for a moment, long enough for me to get a quick pick. As the day came to a close a group of Whitetails entered a field for their PM dining ritual. It was a good day.

Leaves frozen in their place...

Cool Crystals...

The chill of the day showing in the creek...

Ice on a stick...

This cut log collected an edge of ice...

The chill puts a stop to the edge water...

Brrrr...

Frozen in time...

I thought the Great Blue Herons would have left by now. The frozen pond I'm sure makes his hunting difficult...

Red-shouldered Hawk patiently waiting...

Towards days end a group of Whitetail dine on the field grasses...

Thanks for stopping by...