The hawk and the blackbirds

Clear blue skies  marked the day

The hawk landed in a tree to contemplate its defeat

It was one of those rare winter days with clear skies and rising
temps, so Tinkerbelle, Topsie and I set off for the park.  We had only just arrived when the sound of cawing filled the air.  We gazed skyward to an unusual sight.  Against the bright blue sky, we spotted the outspread wings of a gliding hawk and surrounding the hawk were three agitated blackbirds. The blackbirds, clearly distressed by the hawk's trespass over their territory, swarmed around it in an orchestrated assault. Relentlessly, they flapped and cawed at the hawk as they tried to drive it away.  Then, as we watched, they began to tire. First one, and then a second fell back,  leaving only the third and last blackbird to defend the territory.  As if it knew it was the last line of defense, it drove at the hawk with gusto driving it all the way across the street and only then did it fall back and retreat.  We stood mesmerized by this unfolding drama, remembering to pull out the camera just as the hawk landed a top a  tree to contemplate its defeat.

Where the robins go

A robin emerged from the woods

...and landed in our path 

then flew up onto a branch...

I've often wondered where the robins go for the winter.  They seem to be around until late fall then suddenly disappear only to re-appear at the first sign of spring. Conventional wisdom says that they fly south for the winter, but my canine wisdom tells me otherwise.  With the heavy snow falls lately, the robins have started to appear leading me to believe that they could not have flow south.  I suspect they gather deep in the woods where they wait out the winter. Their recent appearances coinciding with the heavy snow falls suggest that they have emerged from the woods in search of food. On our walk one morning, a robin flew down, landed in our path and would not move. We stopped and watched it as it watched us. Then it flew up onto a branch as we moved forward.

Early arrivals

The geese arrive early

The pond spa

Gathering with the ducks at the pond spa

A slight warm up has melted a corner of the pond and the ducks have found their way back.  Right where the stream flows into the pond the ice has melted forming a small spa ... a pond within the pond. But it wasn't the pond spa that surprised us this morning, or the fact that the ducks had returned, it was the sight of a pair of geese that left us speechless.  It is barely mid-February and the geese are back. They are most likely the same pair who stopped over in the fall.  Perhaps food was scarce where they had gone and they know that food is the one thing that is rarely in shortage at the pond. So, here they are, plodding over the frozen pond, mingling with the ducks, and most likely making plans for a nest in the spring.

Pretty in pink

Topsie with two pink bows

February brought with it another grooming day. While I put up my predictable objection, I couldn't help but notice that Topsie did not put up the same objection. In fact, much to my dismay, Topsie seemed to enjoy the attention from the groomers greeting them with kisses and wags. The
groomers in turn enjoy fussing over Topsie. It's no wonder that she came home with two pink bows in her hair.  She strutted around the rest of the day showing them off. I shall have to talk to her about the importance of taking a united stand against grooming day if we are ever to rid ourselves of this scourge.