Where are all the birds????

Word of the Day:

Pyrrhic victory \PIR-ik\, noun:
A victory achieved at great or excessive cost; a ruinous victory.

Are all the good birds just NOT HERE, or what?
I drove all over the area, hitting some of my favorite spots (East Fork, the PITS, etc.) and it was damn quiet.

I don't even remember where I took this picture of a Cooper's hawk. I think I took it yesterday.

This gorgeous red-shouldered hawk was hanging out in one of our trees this morning, hopefully lowering the mouse population.

Like I mentioned in a comment on my last post, if you can see the tail, you will know this is not a red-tailed. And see the 'scalloped' look of her back?

I saw some mutt geese. From the distance, I thought they might be swans, but I wasn't that lucky today.

At Lake Isabella, the bird action was mallards, mutts and Canada geese.
When I saw the mallards rooting around in the snow for food, I did what I usually don't do, and threw out some cookie crumbs I found in Lorelei's car seat. The ducks were appreciative, and one got close enough for me to get some nice close-ups. Look at the detail in those gray feathers. Mallards may be common, but they are not COMMON.

When Isabelle saw these photos, she asked, "Mommy, is that iridescence?"
Who is this kid??
One more little Belle tidbit: I was using a pot holder, and Lorelei asked what it was. When I said it was a pot holder, and I used it for picking up hot things, Isabelle pipped in and said, "They should call them HOT HOLDERS."
That's a smart kid.

Poor little Cold Duck.

It's been harder and harder to find open water this week. It's all shrinking fast.

Oh! I made a local newspaper today...the Clermont Sun had a reporter and photographer at my program on Sunday, and I was interviewed and the guy took some really bad pictures.
You can read the article here.
He was fairly accurate in quoting me, not word for word, but the basic gist of what I said. I actually sound smart!!!