Last night I heard a strange noise and it woke me up. Rain on the roof! It has been months since I have heard rain. The rain really helps the snow to melt.
Here is the Nishnabotna River in our back yard. (I have no idea what that means, but it is what Steve calls the swail that fills with water often.)
In the top right corner, you can see the pasture is flooded and partially frozen. So my friend Sammi was worried about the cows standing in that water. They aren’t. They are in the other pasture that is higher and gated off from this one.
That swail runs into the swampy part of our property. The birds were above it all. Isn’t she a beauty?
Lots of rivers and creeks are rising and flooding. The grocery store parking lot was flooded today, which made it tricky for lots of people who were trying to drive or walk through it.
And these guys were REALLY happy. A flock of 60 (Steve counted, not me) headed right over to the neighbor’s corn field.
pretty wings!
this one is for Vicki…. because she likes chickadees.
Gayle's Gallery 
Feb 28, 2011 @ 20:04:30
Thank you for the pictures. And yes, she is a beauty! I love the turkeys, too … they are definitely on a mission. And now my bird question … I have chickadees and was watching them out my sewing room window. Suddenly there was an odd bird with them. Looked like the chickadees, but a yellow beak and two white stripes on the black head! Any ideas?? I didn’t find it in “what bird”.
Feb 28, 2011 @ 21:12:12
Sam, I am NOT an expert, for sure. Was it same size? Maybe a black throated warbler? Or a nuthatch?
Feb 28, 2011 @ 20:07:19
Thanks for the Chickadee photo! I’ve been reading the books about the difference between the Black-capped and Carolina and this helps me see it. That Cardinal photo is fabulous! Chris was drooling over the turkeys.
Feb 28, 2011 @ 20:12:26
I wonder if Sammi’s bird is some type of sparrow, like a White-crowned or white-throated?
Feb 28, 2011 @ 20:20:47
Great photos! The female cardinal is my favorite bird of all time, what a beautiful bird!
Feb 28, 2011 @ 21:03:56
My favorite bird too!
Feb 28, 2011 @ 21:43:01
I love the female cardinals too! Thanks, Gayle for all your photos. I had a chickadee at my feeder yesterday morning!
Mar 01, 2011 @ 13:53:38
Great nature photos!! Your female Card looks really healthy and well fed!! We are beginning to thaw here too…now it is mud time! I hate it more than all the snow in the world. It is nice to see the sun..all my dogs were laying out in it this morning.
Mar 01, 2011 @ 18:42:56
You ladies astound me! It was a white crowned sparrow. I would take an ornithology course if I could pronounce it !
Mar 01, 2011 @ 22:46:24
that Vicki…… she’s a smart one.