Cold Arrival

January's arrival was a cold entrance to a New Year. From January up today's date, it's just been down right cold around the cabin up here. Though I find the cold weather doesn't bother me, since I dress for the weather. Digits sinking well below the zero mark. One of the many oddities I do is record the temperatures everyday when I get up. And so far the coldest temperture has been minus 30 degrees. Toss another log into the fireplace! On this paticular morning, knowing full well how cold it was going to be, I dressed and packed what extras I would need to record the sunrise. Temperatures minus 15 degrees! I had traveled by this area too many times before and knew what I was looking for. The snow was deep as I made my way in and around these tall evergreens, looking for just the right postition to capture the morning's sunrise. Traveling in I saw many moose tracks so I knew they had passed through on the way to thicker more remote parts of the woods. Daily tempertures never rising much beyond the single digits. After about 3 hours of being out in those cold temps, I could think of nothing better than being back home sitting in my rocker by the fireplace and warming up. I must admit my adventures are lagging for the month of January. My daily routine has been making sure the bird feeders are filled and scattering some extra sunflower seed on the ground. With cold temps birds have to eat twice their body weight to survive such frigid cold. What little moving out and about has been through the woods on snowshoes looking for moose tracks or any other tracks I might find. It's just down right cold and and not a lot is out there moving around. I guess that is a blessing for me as what few birds that do show up daily, don't fly very far as they are trying not to waste any precious energy warding off the cold.

I always love spending time with the chickadees, whether feeding them or taking pictures of them. I can never get enough of this bird. The red-poles around the cabin have been just as much fun as well. So recently most of my time has been spent around the cabin watching and observing these birds that come daily to my feeders. I hope for all the bird watchers out there, that each of us are keeping those feeders full and helping the birds through the winter months. Think of the enjoyment each of us get by watching the birds that come to our feeders. And as always, I find reading about the birds and educating myself on them is just as much fun too. I guess the birds are right up there on my list of subjects I love to photograph. Though I must admit, in these zero temps, I don't stay out too long and the camera gets cold real quick, I would just prefer to stay inside move my rocker over by the window and watch from inside when temps are just this frigid cold. I hope all your winter adventures are going well with great memories, taking some pictures to share with others who choose not to get out or just can't for whatever reasons. February is here and I know these cold temps will pass and I too will be back outside seeking out more wintery adventures. Looking for the moose and observing more of my birds that come to visit me outside once again.

See you down the trail somewhere,

Buford T. Porcupine