Guess who's up?

     Mr. Chipmunk!  He's known around our house as Chip E. Munk, but his scientific name is Tamias striatus.  He is not a true hibernator, since he will periodically awaken in his burrow and have a nibble of the food he stored last fall.  However, once he's up and out of his burrow, he's up - another sign of spring.  

     I first saw him out and about last week.  He has been taking advantage of the peanuts and safflower I put out for the birds.

Frosty Spider

     Several weeks ago, during a period of above freezing temperatures, I noticed a spider by my kitchen door.

     BugGuide.net identified it as Steatoda triangulosa.  I expected the spider to go back into hiding as soon as the temperatures fell, but she remained unmoved.  

When she stayed put, after over a week of temperatures well below freezing, I decided she must have ceased to be.

I was wrong!  

She somehow managed to move herself seven inches toward the door.  

     She stayed there only one day.  I am assuming she squeezed herself into the crack again.

What was she doing outside?  How could she survive so long in the cold?

I have researched in vain and would appreciate any help.

Greater or Lesser?

...Scaup, that is.  These Scaups were the first migrating birds to return to the river this season.  We have been unable to confidently identify which species.  They are diving ducks and were having good success fishing.  

Lessons to be learned...

...or not.  

     About two weeks ago Hudson and I took a late afternoon walk at Secor Park.  As we approached a wooded area I saw a raptor dart across the path.  He was too chunky to be a Cooper or Sharp-shinned, and too small (and in the wrong place) to be a Red-tailed.  It turns out he was a Barred Owl - the first time I have seen this species in the wild.  

     Once again, I was caught without a camera capable of capturing a reasonable image.  The Cannon point and shoot I use for monitoring would have suited.  It certainly is easily enough dropped in a coat pocket.  On the other hand, those pockets are filled with keys, dog poop bags, facial tissues, and a phone.  

     In all likelihood, phone cameras will eventually be able to do the job.  In the meanwhile, I'll try to remember.

Migrating Sunrise

I tried to take this sunrise photograph at the same location as the one taken on January 5.  The sun is not yet over the horizon, but you can still see how far it has migrated downstream (to your left).