So much for an early spring . . .

So, most years, those of us who are blessed to live in northern Georgia consider ourselves lucky if we have one measurable snow per year.  This year has been an exception to the rule!  We are now in the middle of our fourth (yes, that's 4th) measurable snow of this season.  If my memory serves (and it may not - just so you know) we've had between 9 and 12 inches total snow this year.  And to be honest, it's still winter here folks!!!

And yes, I am ready for spring, but not nearly as ready as these guys . . .

A pair of house finches - Mrs. on the left and Mr. on the right

A recent addition to the flock - a 'yellow rumped warbler'.  Do you see the yellow on his 'rump'???

Mrs. (l) and Mr. (r) Cardinal.  I love how she's looking at me!  Like "what you doin?"

And yes,  this is 'Woody' the lone wood thrush.  He/she is still here, overseeing things on the deck.  Somehow his presence is comforting, although I still haven't figured out why he's here all alone and out of season!

And here is Ethel, and best I can figure after perusing my Birds of Georgia book, she is a female (of course) red wing blackbird!  I've never seen one at the feeder, and it was obvious she wasn't sure how it worked, but she got the hang of it eventually and had a nice meal.

The influx of birds to our feeders convinces me that since we've had so much very cold and snowy weather, they are just plain hungry.  Another indication of that is our almost empty safflower seed bag!  In just under two months, we have feed them about fifty pounds of seeds!!!  I have two large, and two medium feeders for the safflower seed, two suet cake feeders, and two thistle feeders for the goldfinches.

Here's a list of all the birds I've seen so far today:

• goldfinches
• house finches (lots and lots of these guys!)
• titmice
• white breasted nuthatches
• brown headed nuthatches
• red bellied woodpeckers
• downy woodpeckers
• Carolina chickadees
• Carolina wrens
• cardinals
• song sparrows
• white throated sparrows
• Woody the lone wood thrush
• Ethel the lone female red winged black bird
• yellow rumped warbler
• dark eyed juncos
• eastern towhees
• doves

And yes, best I can count that is 18 different varieties of birds either eating from our feeder or the seed I throw on the ground for the ground feeders.  Amazing!  And so much fun to watch!  Anyway, it is still snowing pretty steadily, and tonight it's supposed to get down to the upper 20's, so whatever is here will still be here in the morning in the form of ice.  Fun.

So, as I head to the kitchen to check out my pizza dough, I'll leave you with a few pictures from our yard.  I hope you, wherever you are, are having a sunny and warm day!  Blessings, Becky