Monday, January 21, 2013

Winter Games


You know when you think you see something, but then look and nothing is there?
So you take a few steps and then, woops, you think you see it again.

I saw a small dark object drop from the sky and disappear into the snow.
Turns out I wasn't losing my mind (whew!)




I realized it was a bird.
A very silly bird.
I couldn't help laughing out loud.
See it peeking its little head out of the snow?

Was there something underneath the snow that I didn't know about?
Was it playing?  Or hiding?

While I'm waiting to see what it will do, a Common Redpoll lands beside the hole with a sunflower seed in its mouth.


It stays a moment and then leaves.

Two seconds later, another bird lands (I'm not sure it is a Redpoll.)


I start to wonder:
#1 What is so attractive about this hole?
#2 What is that little bird doing under the snow all this time?

This second bird also stays a moment and leaves.

Finally Mr. Mysterious re-emerges from his hiding place.


He takes a look around,


Springs out from the hole and flies away!

You can see his tail-feathers on the right side of the photo below.


Maybe I've just witnessed an elaborate bird version of "winter hide-and-seek."
I have a feeling Mr. Mysterious is going to win :)

44 comments:

  1. Mr. Mysterious is my kind of guy.

    I know it may not be very adult to admit this, but I love hide and seek.

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    Replies
    1. Lucky adults keep the best parts of their childhood with them :)

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  2. Very nice story line there Rosemary..lol!!
    Mr Mysterious is cunning, don't you think? :)

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    1. Thank you Ash, Mr. Mysterious made my day! I still laugh when I see the top of his head sticking out over the snow :)

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  3. This is so sweet and captivating!

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    1. That's what birds remind me of, kids playing outside!

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  4. Beautiful photos Rosemary, I think this is the Linnet (Carduelis cannabina).
    This bird is quite rare, here he is on the red list, here are less than 50,000 breeding pairs.
    Greetings Irma

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Irma, I hope this little bird on the red list grows healthy and strong :)

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  5. One się bawią w chowanego, a Ty je podglądasz :)
    They are playing hide and seek, and you will be previewing :)

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  6. Rosemary, nice shots! You had a lot of patience taking them.
    I think the birds found some seeds in the snow.

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    Replies
    1. They are like sunshine on a cold day! They make me so happy :)

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  7. Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting!

    I love this little birdie. How funny is he?!

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    Replies
    1. Nice to meet you Lisa, and thank you for your visit :) This little bird made my day!

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  8. Birds are playing hide and seek.
    They are beautiful. I'm not surprised that it spying.
    Great pictures.
    Regards
    Lucia

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Lucia, they are having fun regardless of the cold :)

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  9. Rosemary, you were on the right place and right time to be witness of this game "hide and seek"

    Have a nice day!

    Willy

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    Replies
    1. Maybe they were trying to entice me to play with them :)

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  10. Yes, I think you are right - the birds were enjoying themselves and playing in much the same way as we humans do. Well caught on your camera.

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    1. Thank you Rosemary, and I think you're right. They seem to be having so much fun!

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  11. So pretty little bird!! it's so difficult to photograph them ;-)
    amazing you got so much snow! here it melted soon and was only 1-2 inches.
    ciao ciao
    Dany

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    Replies
    1. It's true Dany, they move so fast, I was lucky to catch them. We are having a "true" winter here and I am very happy.

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  12. Your acute observations and attention to the smallest dramas developing outside is just amazing. What was going on I wonder? Only the birds know.

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    Replies
    1. They are always busy doing something and are my outdoor entertainment, my outdoor friends :)

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  13. Very cute! I wonder what they were doing?

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    1. Cute and silly, like kids playing in the snow :)

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  14. Ha ha, very sweet, and good of you to capture them all!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Helene, they write their own comical stories!

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  15. I also wonder what was in that hole, besides that silly bird. What a fun game. If this is a regular landing spot post feeder visit, could there be a few forgotten seeds beneath the snow?

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    1. This isn't anywhere near a feeder so I have no idea what was going on. Could be it was flying over and dropped a seed? But it would seem a lot easier to have returned to the feeder for another one rather than getting lost in a sea of snow :) Silly guy.

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  16. Way too early for spring fever ;>)

    Perhaps when the food source is hidden the birds have to be inventive. Great captures.

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    Replies
    1. Winter lasts long enough over here, we get winter fever and just decide to embrace the cold!

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  17. Huh! Cute series... glad you were there to get these shots.

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    1. Thanks Linda, I was lucky to be there when it happened :)

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  18. Hello Rosemary,
    it is the (Carduelis cannabina). in the Netherlands, he is called Linnet!
    What a mountain of snow, I say really, really scared and then that nice cup above the snow SUPER HEAR!
    Regards, Annie

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    Replies
    1. Annie, even the birds like to play sometimes and he seemed to be having lots of fun :)

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  19. Yes, nice shots Rosemary. It's one of the advantages of the snow for photographers, there is less for wildlife to blend in with....reminds me of the deer I spotted yesterday, but they were still too quick for my camera!

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    1. Thanks Gringo, I don't know how these birds can handle these cold temperatures but I'm happy they do, it would be an empty landscape without them :)

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  20. I love pictures of birds with a snow backdrop! So beautiful.

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    1. It's nice to have these happy, chittering friends outside on a chilly day :) Thanks for your visit!

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  21. Hello Rosemary,

    what a very nice blog and I meot laugh like you said ... lol
    Beautiful bird and so out of the blue ... lol
    Greetings, Helma

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Helma, they make me laugh all the time with their playfulness :)

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Thank you so much for your kind words :)

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