Al Larson Photography

It has been a long time since a Downy Woodpecker visited our feeders. So when this little fellow showed up yesterday morning I was thrilled and hurridly uncased the camera. A female Hairy Woodpecker makes daily visits to our yard but a “Downy” seldom makes an appearance during the winter.

I like this photo in that it show how the bird uses its tail to brace itself as it clings to the edge of the feeder. Also note the very short bill. This helps distinguish it from the “Hairy” which has a much larger bill. The body size is also much smaller. The little red patch on the back of the head indicates this is a male.

This is another photo taken from my front door looking down Daggett Creek. It is essentually the same subject as a couple of the previous photos. The big difference is  lighting and weather conditions. The sun burst was totally accidental, but it adds interest to the picture. My point here is if you don’t have the expertise necessary to plan these photos shoot many. I lack that expertise. There may be one that stands out above all the rest.

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I came home in January 1946 after spending 32 months overseas in WW II. I have many memories of my tour from  New Caledonia to North China. I was in Company “A”, Third Corps Signal Battalion, USMC. My MOS was field radio operator.

My whiskers are showing gray and my back is getting stiff. My thoughts often return to  my overseas duty. I know many of my former buddies have passed over the great divide. How many are left? If anyone reads this that were attached to my outfit, I’d like to hear from you.  Semper Fi!

The weather warmed a bit to above freezing. After a rain shower during the night fog hung low in the valley. This shot was taken looking toward the east just after sunrise. It is the same location as the previous photo. What a difference lighting makes.

The weather has stayed below freezing for some time now and the snow that fell several days ago is still hanging on the trees and shrubs.

On January 4 I happened to be in Boise. I had learned by the grapevine that there were some Western Bluebids sighted in Ann Morrison Park. So after my Dr. appointment I wandered down to the park to try my luck. I went to the reported location, stopped and broke out my binoculars and camera. Almost immediately a Townsend’s Solitaire flew in and I thought, “Oh no! Was this bird mistaken for a bluebird?” Then in came several other birds, among them a couple of Western Bluebirds! There were also some Pine Siskins. Nearly every winter I have heard reports of bluebirds overwintering in southwest Idaho but seldom in Boise. This was indeed a sight for sore eyes. The temperature has dipped the last several mornings into the low teens. This is quite chilly for a species that normally migrate to the southern states in October and November.

Also in the near vicinity were robin, flicker, cedar waxwing, house finch, Canada goose and snow goose.