Saturday, November 30, 2024

When Henna and I headed outside for our daily pre-dawn walk this morning, I was surprised to see a light snow covering. I had not expected precipitation overnight. This seems like the fall to winter transition day. We’ve had spectacularly nice fall temps and sun, although too dry and unseasonable, but hard to deny that we’ve all enjoyed this stretch of weather. Over the next 10 days, daytime and night time temperatures will drift downward, until the ground is frozen, perhaps until Springtime. In recent years, though, periodic warm-ups have left the ground soft.

This first dusting of snow looks like a sprinkling of powdered sugar. It will disappear as sunshine reaches each corner of our yard on this last day of November. Yesterday my niece helped me fill and hang four bird feeders filled with black oil sunflower seeds. Given the forecast, I think bears are more likely getting cozy in a winter den rather than thinking about a night raid on bird feeders.

First snowfall on goldenrod

A mixed flock of birds found the feeders around 10 AM today…not quite 24 hours after we put them up yesterday afternoon. The first arrivals included a few juncos, a downy woodpecker, one goldfinch, and a handful of bluebirds.

Onward to winter.