Bird watching

Now that I have replaced the black oil sunflower seeds with a millet-based mix, all I get at the window feeder are sparrows.  Fern does not care.

Come back, birdies!

 Are cardinals redder in the winter?  Or does the snow just make it seem so?  This is what is known as "lake effect" snow, of which we received less than an inch.  Not enough for skiing.

Safflower seed, because I'm worth it!

I am going to say that this is a Cooper's hawk.  He sat there and sat there, and finally I crept off to find my camera.  He was still there when I returned, but not for long.

Hey!  Where did everybody go?

I was less lucky today when a ragged V of what I think were herons flew overhead.  They did not honk or quack, but sang an unfamiliar song as they passed by.  I have never witnessed such a thing before.

I also have never witnessed a dog eating a hot pepper right off the plant.  (I brought this plant inside before a hard frost.)

But oddly enough, Betsy does not like raw turkey liver.  Go figure.