joining David Suddjian in observing effects of changing weather

[David Matson]

Each and All:

This morning, we awoke to 14 inches of snow (measured) at our spot 7.1 miles south of the nearest gas station in La Veta.

We were up fairly early for us and I put on the tallest boots I have, opened the garage door and took a hand brush to circle the house to clear the snow from the various feeding stations around the house.

The hummingbirds were the first to let me know I was late.

Fortunately, my wife had filled the hummingbird feeders last evening (May 20), as the hummingbirds seemed to know what was going to come down overnight, for they fed in a frenzy just prior to dark.

Swallows and Vaux's Swift also seemed to know that they, also, should be packing things in, just before dark last evening [we have plenty of cliffs, here, near the Spanish Peaks].

I checked each feeder and brushed the snow off the holes of the hummingbird feeders, and the snow had turned some of the squirrel-proof seed feeders topsy-turvy, so they needed brushing, also.

I continued my round, knocking snow off the top of the wall outside of our dining room, which is our main place where we watch birds in the morning.

There, I prepared a wide area to distribute seed and oranges, knowing that tanagers and orioles would also be interested in partaking in something with such a large snowfall.

At 7,880 feet, we could also count on Rosy-Finches being forced down by the snow, although we had not seen them for several weeks--we were not to be disappointed.

By the time I returned to the garage, two Western Tanagers had sought refuge inside the garage.

Now, I had a choice: put some oranges in the garage or some on top of the wall. We decided to do both--for just a little bit of time.

Having set the scene, and knowing by now that the snow was light enough for a broom and that a shovel was not necessary, I returned to the area outside the dining room and swept away the snow from the wall, off the hummingbird feeders, and the rocks that keeps the birdseed from being blown away by our often ferocious winds.

Then, I delivered seed and oranges to the right places. took the oranges from the garage, closed the garage door, sat down with my wife, had some hot coffee, solved today's wordle and enjoyed a great morning.

Also, I took some pictures for you.

David Matson

Raspberry Mountain, Colorado

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David Matson

La Veta, Colorado

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