January woodpecker

This female Hairy Woodpecker is finding insects or larvae in the folds of bark on the elm tree.  She can probe into the crevices with her long bill, and her strong tail helps her balance against the force of her pecking.

dogwood in January

Two varieties of dogwood brighten the edge of the wild wild woods.  Cornus alba 'Ivory Halo' displays dark rich red twigs in the winter.  Cornus sericea 'Cardinal' glows with bright crimson bark, quite brilliant in the sunlight against the snow.  They both provide a fine tangle for the red feathered birds (Cardinals, House Finches, Redpolls) to hide in plain sight.

waterplay 2

40°F is warm for January here.  The Bluejays took advantage of the thaw to bathe (and play) in the water bowl.

nuthatch cache

 A new feeder, filled with dried mealworms.  Within six minutes, this White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis arrived to grab the best ones.  Then, I noticed where he was taking them!

color in the wild woods

The Mourning Doves Zenaida macroura, usually appearing drab from a distance, are extremely colorful up close and against the white snow.

The female Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis is a study in contrasts with her bright orange beak, orange striped wing primaries, and perky peaked cap.

The Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis, in formal black and white, looks striking among the soft colors of the frosted branches and hanging samaras.

trees in January

Maple Acer rubrum buds

The trees sent out new twigs and lengthened their branches last Summer. During Autumn, leaf buds were set on this new growth.
Now, in January, those buds on the deciduous trees in the wild woods are dormant. 

The buds are actually embryos packed into a protective outer scale. Each tree species' buds are a different shape, size, texture, and color.

In Springtime, they will all open to become flowers and leaves.

Larch Larix laracina buds and cone

cold morning comfort

This morning was cold again,

with snow flurries swirling on light breezes.

Two Red-bellied Woodpeckers
Melanerpes carolinus,

one male and one female,

live in the wild woods.
They come to the suet blocks at the

feeder station to load up on fat

and supplement their diet of insects

gleaned from between the crevices of tree bark.

 

Today, the male rested a while

with his head tucked down

among the feathers on his shoulders.

All we could see of his head was

a small red circle.

 

Then, he popped his beak out

and took a look around,

making sure all was safe

for a few more minutes of cozy rest.