Don't Forget to Look Up!

I walked at Rural Cemetery in Southboro today.  It was very quiet with not much bird activity and none to photograph.  I started looking for other things to photograph, and the sky caught my attention.  Although we didn't have a blue sky today, it was still pretty because of the clouds.  Good thing I was looking at the sky because otherwise I would have missed our national bird, the BALD EAGLE soaring overhead!  Wow!

Now I am a shaky photographer in the best of circumstances, especially so when I am holding the camera and tipping back to get an overhead shot.   I rarely get good results.  So please accept by "record shot" and just know that it was an exciting end to my lunchtime walk!

We are starting to see open water again!

Careful!  Don't look directly at that bright New England sun!

Hibernation is definitely over for chipmunks.

Bald Eagle

While the eagle was circling above me, another bird flew across my line of sight, just a speck way up in the sky.  This one looks like a Sharp-Shinned Hawk.

Sharp-Shinned Hawk

Meanwhile, back on the home front, the deer made a late afternoon appearance.  The herd has now increased to ten individuals.  Two that actually made their way to the feeder both showed bloody wounds on the knees of their back legs.  I wondered if that would be due to coyote predation.  Seems likely.  I can't imagine the deep snow would do that...but if anyone knows for sure, I'd love to learn the reason.

Pine Siskin

Even though there are a lot of branches in the foreground, I still like this photo because it is the only one I have where the bird is not at the feeder, and you can see its pretty yellow wing bars.  These birds shouldn't be around here much longer.  They should be returning north.