Again?

The National Weather Service is calling for 2-4 inches of snow overnight. Accu-hunch folks are saying only 1.5 inches. In either case, it'll be over by sun up. Then, it'll be my turn. With the shovel.

Aerie Fowl: Common Redpoll

Late in December a flock of Common Redpolls started showing up. These small birds are from the Boreal Forests of the north. They migrate here when the northern winters get severe. A casual glance would make you think you were looking at an ordinary sparrow, but then you spot the bright red cap and the black goatee. The mature adult males have a reddish breast.

Here, these birds are ground feeders. They will go to the stick feeders on occasion--especially for the thistle seeds, but they much prefer feeding on the ground or the tray.

Common Redpoll

Common Redpoll

Common Redpoll

Aerie Fowl: White-breasted Nuthatch

One of the more dapper of the winter birds coming to the feeders is the White-breasted Nuthatch. With the sharp lines delineating its white belly, breast and chin from the slate gray and black of its flanks and back, it's a sharp looking bird. Oh...the birds has a rust colored rear end below the tail and behind the legs.

In the woods it feeds by climbing down the trunks of trees looking for insects, spiders and eggs. It comes to the feeders for both sunflower seeds and suet. It doesn't hang out on the feeders, however. Instead it comes in, grabs a seed taking it out to the trees. It will stay on the suet somewhat longer--if the woodpeckers will allow. Male and female are identical.

White-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

Aerie Fowl: Downy Woodpecker

We've been a heavily visited port of call for daily food since we put the bird feeders out in late November/early December (after the ears went into hibernation). This and the next two posts will document some of the species that have been here on a daily basis.

Let's start with the woodpeckers. We see two different ones, the Downy and the Hairy. Both look virtually the same but the Downy is about half the size of the foot-long hairy. In both species the male and female are similar in color but the male has a red patch of feathers on the back of his head. Both species will travel with flocks of other small birds such as Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Titmice.

Female Downy Woodpecker on suet feeder.

Female Downy Woodpecker on tree.

Looking at the black and white pattern on this bird, it's easy to see why it and it's look-alike larger cousin the hairy Woodpecker are sometimes referred to as ladder-back woodpeckers.

Let the Baseball Season Begin!

The Super Bowl has been played. The football season is over. Pitchers and catchers will be reporting in a couple of weeks. Perhaps it's time to reflect upon the difference between these two iconic and definitive American sports.

Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25

Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers upon the winning of their fourth Super Bowl title and their 18th NFL Championship.

This is only the third time that a 6 seeded team has succeeded in going all the way.

Oh, and Coca Cola had the best single commercial. I'm speaking of the animated one shown in the first half in which Coke is used to quench the thirst and dowse the fires of a fire-breathing dragon leading a horde as it attacks a fortress. Great animation.

The Bud Lite commercial featuring the very smart dogs was also pretty good.

Morning Report, February 5, 2011

Yesterday was indeed a carbon copy of Thursday. Bright sunshine and warm (36 degrees!). Thoroughly enjoyable. Except that the setting sun has moved far enough north on the horizon to shine in my eyes for the last hour of the day.

Today we were supposed to get 3-6 inches of snow, but it looks more like we will be getting sleet, freezing rain and rain during the day with a possibility of a little light snow after dark. It's that dreaded "wintery mix" that's no fun to be out in at all.

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The birds (and squirrels) seem to know that foul (pun intended) weather is on the way. Dozens of common red polls have been flocking to the tray feeders, stick feeders, and the ground beneath the feeders searching for an easy meal. But they are only one of four or five avian gangs hitting the seed. There's the slightly smaller flock of goldfinches who are also looking for thistle seeds. The one or two dozen mourning doves intimidate the smaller birds on the ground. The roving band of a dozen or so blue jays will take no guff from anyone they choose to bully--or scare off with their screeching calls.

All of those birds act as cohesive units. Not so the juncos, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches or woodpeckers. Those are more loosely affiliated groups and sometimes resort to intra-species squabbling. The chickadees and nuthatches in particular are very individualistic. For them, it's much more every bird for itself as they swoop in, grab a seed and then swoop out to either devour the seed in the trees nearby or to cache it in the woods at some distance.

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I've been running the fireplace the last couple of days and that's produced a real comfortable warmth in the house. The cats--or at least Shadow and Julie--certainly appreciate the warm air. One curls up on the love seat directly in the path of the warm air from the fireplace and the other stretches out on the carpet immediately in front of the hearth. Chester could care less. He curls up in his pet bed (the large one!) and stays there fast asleep all afternoon. Might be a warm spot in the floor's heating system--or it could just be he likes the fleece lining.

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We're still waiting for the propane delivery we were told week ago last Thursday would be happening Any. Day. Now. We've got to be down to 20-25% in the tank by now. I'm going to hate looking at that bill!

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While the Super Bowl is to be played tomorrow, there are several important sporting dates to remember:

The Yukon Quest starts today in Whitehorse.

Pitchers and catchers (at least the Mets' pitchers and catchers) report to Port St. Lucie on February 15--just 10 days away!

The Iditarod ("The Last Great Race on Earth") starts in Anchorage on Saturday, March 5, 2011.

Aerie Report, February 3, 2011

Glorious day here today. Sunshine, clear skies, temperature up to 30 degrees, no wind, and the sun didn't set until 5:30 PM, at which time there was a gorgeous rosy glow on the western horizon.... What's NOT to like?! After those clear skies help produce a low near 0 degrees tonight, tomorrow (Friday) will be a near carbon copy.

BUT (and there's always a "but") that ends very early Saturday morning--probably before dawn--when the next wave of snow hits from the southwest. Accu-hunch is saying 3-6 inches before it's over.

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Speaking of Saturday...and snow....

The Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race starts Saturday in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. It's a 1000 mile race like the Iditarod (which starts March 5th in Anchorage, AK). The Quest traverses the road we were unable to travel this summer due to the Top Of The World Highway being washed out. Racers will leave Whitehorse and head north through Braeburn, Carmacks, Pelly Crossing, Dawson City, Circle City, Eagle, Central, Mile 101, and Chena Hot Springs on their way to Fairbanks, Alaska. Next year, the route will be reversed and the race will start in Fairbanks, AK, as it did last year. (They alternate the route which is appropriate since it is along the old gold rush mail route which was not a one-way affair like the Iditarod's race for serum/medical supplies.)

Last year's winner, (heading from Fairbanks to Whitehorse) was Hans Gatt who made it in 9 days and 59 minutes. Lance Mackey finished second a little more than an hour later. A few weeks later, they would reverse that order as Mackey won the Iditarod in 8 days, 23 hours and 59 minutes with Gatt coming in second after 9 days, 1 hour and 4 minutes on the trail. It was Mackey's fourth consecutive (!) Iditarod victory to go with four Quest titles.

I certainly hope there's sufficient snow for both races. I'll be following the Quest at the web site linked above.

Sleeping at Deer Camp

From my Florida cousin...

Sleeping with Bob

The guys were all at the infamous deer camp in Shirley, Maine. No one wanted to room with Bob, because he snored so badly. They decided it wasn't fair to make one of them stay with him the whole time, so they voted to take turns.

Well Mark slept with Bob and comes to breakfast the next morning with his hair a mess and his eyes all bloodshot. They said, "Man, what happened to you? He said, "Bob snored so loudly, I just sat up and watched him all night."

The next night it was Dennis' turn. In the morning, same thing, hair all standing up, eyes all bloodshot. They said, "Man, what happened to you? You look awful! He said, 'Man, that Bob shakes the roof with his snoring. I watched him all night."

The third night was Dave's turn. Now Dave was a tanned, older ex- Fire Chief, a real man's man ya know. The next morning he came to breakfast bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. "Good morning!" he said. They couldn't believe it.. They said, "Man, what happened?"

He said, "Well, we got ready for bed. I went and tucked Bob into bed, patted him on the butt, and kissed him good night. Bob sat up and watched me all night."

WTF?

(And I do Not Mean "Winning the Future!")

Got the driveway and parking area cleared after three plus hours of snow throwing and shoveling. I was soaked when I finished but that was due to perspiration and not having snow whisked back at me as I worked. The breeze actually cooperated and fell to near zero mph at ground level. Way up above was a different story as the wind hurried clouds out of the southwest at very high speeds.

Temperatures on the deck got to 37 degrees while I worked and water dripped from every branch that had received a coating of ice during the night. The sun came out (briefly) to melt the ice off the Tundra. All was looking good!

Then at 2 PM everything went dark. Heavy clouds appeared over the mountain and they bore wet snow and ice pellets that rattled off the windows as the wind whipped them along parallel to the ground. It looked ominous!

This forced me to look at the radar. Sure enough, the storm is hardly over. It's just lingering to the west and streaming up from Missouri and the Ohio River valley. The Weather.com forecast says it won't amount to more than half an inch but the temperatures are falling. Down three degrees in the last half hour.

I don't know if it's just me or what, but the sound of sleet/freezing rain pelting against the window panes produces a chill down my spine similar to that others feel from fingernails on the chalk board. (That never bothered me, much to the displeasure of my students!) And it doesn't matter what the temperature is outside or in.

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Punxsutawney Phil did NOT see his shadow this morning. (To which I say, "DUH!" It was snowing in Punxsutawney this morning. I'd feel better about that "early spring" forecast if Phil were correct more than 39% of the time. (That's his actual record, BTW. Just 39%. Might be pretty good if he were a major league hitter, but as a prognosticator? Thirty-nine percent stinks!)

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We're still awaiting a delivery of propane. The tank was down to 30% when I checked last Thursday and our service provider said the slip had been printed and we should get a delivery this week. It's gonna be a costly one!

Oh well, guess I'll be building another fire this afternoon/evening.

Na na, na na na...

Missed us!

We didn't get the multiple inches of snow forecasters said were heading our way. That slid to our north some. Instead we got a light coating of stinking ICE. The squirrels are okay with that. They can now run over the snow without sinking in over their heads.

Me? I'd rather have the snow. It's much easier to blow/shovel snow than it is the ice encrusted stuff we have now. Oh, I'll break out the snow thrower anyway as it will be easier than the shovel, but I'll probably have to go back over the driveway with the shovel when I get through. *sigh*

The stiff breeze (can't really call it "wind") will make throwing snow an adventure. I'll probably look like the Michelin Man/Frosty the Snowman/Stay Puff Marshmallow Man when I get done.

The temperature is currently hovering around 31 degrees but that breeze makes it feel lots colder than the 16 degrees we had when I was outside last evening.

Luckily, the ice was not as thick as points elsewhere. I can see a coating on wires and branches but not enough to bring 'em down.

For Teresa

Who says today was as bad as Monday.







Well, maybe not tomorrow. But the sun will come out soon. Won't it? Please.

A WINTER POEM

It's winter time in Pennsy
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At five degrees below.

Oh, how I love Pennsy
When the snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes,
The weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave Pennsy
Cuz I'm frozen to the ground!

(More) Foolishness at the EPA

Can we just defund the EPA now? (And that's being said by one who's wife used to work there.)

EPA approves more ethanol in fuel for cars

It faces strong opposition, however, from the auto industry, environmentalists, cattle ranchers, food companies and others. Those groups say that using corn to make ethanol makes animal feed more expensive, raises prices at the grocery store and tears up the land. There have already been several lawsuits filed against the EPA - including one filed by automakers, boat manufacturers and outdoor power equipment manufacturers - since the agency decided to allow the higher blends for newer cars in October.

They snuck this through the cheer leading Lame Stream Media two Friday evenings ago.

E15 Gas: A green disaster for your car

The existing 10% ethanol-blend gas has problems, but the good folk at Popular Mechanics are concerned about what happens when a few drops of water get into the fuel tank when E15 is used:

How does water get into the fuel tank? It’s possible that water dripped into the tank at the gas station or ­refueling depot, or a stray raindrop or snowflake made its way into your tank or jerrycan, but most water infiltration is from condensation. As the temperature in a tank changes, air has to be vented in and out or the tank will bulge or split. Incoming air carries moisture. When the H2O in the gas gets above a critical percentage—its saturation point—all of the water and alcohol drops out and settles into the bottom of the tank. This is what chemists call phase separation; the various components of the fuel are no longer a homogeneous mixture.

I've some experience with water-in-fuel problems. E10 has a shelf life just slightly longer than a banana. And once it starts to separate, it does no good at all. Even the special Sta-Bil additive doesn't do much when we're talking storing fuel for several months in unused cans or fuel systems.

Since I don't use my snow blower at the Bolt Hole during the summer or early fall, its gas tank and fuel system regularly amasses water in the bottom as it sits in the very humid air of the detached garage. Mark reports it cost $280 just to get it running again this year. And the seals and gaskets are pretty well shot from water in the system freezing, he says. I used to have a similar problem with my lawn mower in the spring until I moved it into a dryer shed and made sure the gas tank was overflowing before storage.

The ATV has had similar problems with water accumulating in the fuel tank as the E10 separates over the winter while the machine is not in use. I have to drain the bloody gas tank to get it running again. I have to do the same for the brush hog stored with the snow thrower at the Bolt Hole.

And don't ask me about using E10 to run my chainsaws.... Please.

I won't even touch upon the cost of producing ethanol from corn. You can get that from the green disaster post linked above.

Amusing Snow Thoughts

Gwynnie over at Maggie's Farm has posted and oldie but goodie in the form of
Diary of a Snow Shoveler...

Go ahead and read it. If you live in the Northeast, you may find it amusing. Or not.

I swear, I'm not that guy.

A Story of Heroism

From Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit:

ONE GURKHA VS. 40 THUGS: He had them outnumbered.

And, from the linked post:

"... He pulls out a kukri (i.e. a knife) and proceeds to kill 3 of them, injure 8 of them, and causes the rest to flee. During the battle, he suffered a severe knife injury to his left hand, from which he's now recovered.

.... Maybe it's okay to bring a knife to a gunfight, after all."

Well done! Mr. Bishnu Shrestha, a 35 year-old Gurkha soldier.

Rising and Falling

Weight and snow/ice/sleet, aka weather.

Despite shoveling the drive three times last week (that's a two hour workout each time) and trying to be careful, I gained 2.1 pounds.

I find it difficult to lose when Terry gets the urge to cook. Chicken paprikash, chicken with fettucini primavera, homemade pizza, halibut with orzzo, breakfast at the fire hall, and biscuits and gravy. And Jess brought a tray of homemade chocolate fudge. Trust me, they were all good, but not exactly low cal.

Oh well. I'm still down a little under five pounds since January 4th.

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Snow was falling heavily at 7:00 this morning but has temporarily stopped. We've go about three inches on the ground. Radar shows that the bulk of the precipitation is currently sliding to the south of us. It can stay there for all I care, but the forecasters seem to agree that it won't. We'll get more. Lots more. Late this evening and through the night. Hopefully it will be more snow but some are saying ice is on the way in at least two periods--one today and another tomorrow afternoon. At least one forecast says that sh*t will stay down around I-80.