Winter in Finland

[Olga]

Thank you all for the comments

A view from the northern window at 9:00 in the morning




Two photos from the southern window at 15:00 and and 16:30

I saw, btw, some 15 Yellow hammers around the southern feeder today. They are very cautious, any movement, the tiniestones, behind the window makes them escape. I left them in peace. I have no suitable equipments to take any kind pictures of birds on that feeder - the tree creeper was an ecception, it did not escape at once.

[Olga]

A cold morning today, -22 C. A suirrel at 9:00

[Olga]

Isn't the squirrel so photogenic

[alice44]

It is a cutie.

[Olga]

This the whole story of which the first pictures abowe are part. I put the light on in my room floor, and it is that light that makes the first pictures look different to these. I sa no other squirrels on this feeder today. The short ear squirrel was on the other side of the house, too far to get properly picture.

Early in the mornint the squirres was there - I'm not sure, but I think he looked first a bit sleepy..

[Olga]

This squirrel moves a peculiar way. It can't be seen on the pictures, but he makes noise with his paws and he is as a way 'jumping' all the time - some kind of 'knock-knock' is heard when he goes back and forth. Is he worried or very cautious of something or not I don't know. I am behind the curtain, and it is able to see only the lence of the camera.

[Olga]

Sometimes he took a little pause and watched over his shoulder towards window. At last I thought that it better to let him eat in peace, without even the lence of camera he seemingly is suspicious of..

I left him alone when he was there sitting and like 'jumping' on his paws there on the top the feeder.

[Jo UK]

Good evening, Long-Ears.
It is good to see you again. Olga, thakn you for sharing him with us. Yes, you are right - he knows you are there!

[Olga]

Today in the mornign there happened something very special. I have known that there is an Pygmy Owl somewhere close to our garden. I have heard his voice and seen the figure on a pive branch. I was not able to adjust my camera properly to get better photos.

We saw the Pygmy owl through the other kitchen window, the window that is not very clean..

[Olga]

The Pygmy Owl tried to carry the carcass away, bur he could not. We leave all as it is. Maybe the little owl returns. Afterwards I have seen a Woodbecker knocking nuts on the feeder.

This is how it all looks in midday.

[Olga]

I am sorry if the Blackbird carcass photo is repulsive for us humans, but you know..it was killed quickly. The Pygmy owl is a rare bird here, he too needs food without question and nuts are not enough for him.

It's 14:00. The Owl is still there. First I saw it at 10:00. I try to take photos, but have not got better pics. It's funny or not, but there are other birds closeto the Pybmy owl's eating place, Blackbirds and a Woodpecker sitting on the birch branches close by. Also tits, quite noisy this time, are there.

When the pygmy owl went away a Magpie came to check the carcass! He didn't accept my camera moving behind the window..

hm.. the zoomed photos loose light and become grayish.. well.






14:41 the owl is back again. Our little store is open to 18:00. Hope we are able to go there, but it's not so important.. The path where the owl is now is the only way to go..

[Olga]

The Pygmy owl was seen for 5 hours. Although he was eating a Blackbird, the Blackbirds were there at plase. The owl flied away for a while but returned soon to go on eating.

[Olga]

Here are the last photos of the remarkable bird sitting on the carcass. He put his body in different position, as if he was smaller at last.. This is the end of the story of a Pygmy living owl in my garden and of the end a Blackbird finished by the owl.

[alice44]

Amazing

[Fleur]

The owl should be eating of course. When mice are low because of the snow, then they find an alternative. In this case a blackbird.
Olga beautiful pictures.
thank you want to share with us

[Olga]

Today I have found some special phenomenas in the garden. In the mornign at 10:00 I saw one squirrel sitting and eating on the feeder behind the window. It was propably the short eared squirrel, a regular visitor earlier.

1. Then a bit later a noticed on the other side of house worrysome depressions on the surface of the snow. I thought immediately, that some preybird has attacked a little mammal. The other depressions looked like made by squirrel paws . Squirrel pw traces 'came' from somewhere but did not go on to anywhere, they stopped just there where the top feathers of bird wings had left tracks.

2. When moving the car a bit later I found the carcass remainings of the blackbird under the car. Someone, I'm not sure if it has been the yesterday's Pygmy owl who had finished the carcass there. There were clear depressions by some mammal, too. What could it have been I don't know for sure. The paw and toe traces were lesser than dogs paws but bigger than cat's paws.

More worrysome is the news on our fresh newpapers: There is in Southern Finland a complete short of voles, a vole depletion.. It is as if all the voles had vanished from here all over. It is said that perhaps most of the last years owl chicks have already starved to death by hunger and cold weather. It has been found about 20 owl in weak condition. About 20 owls (Tawny Owls, European Eagle Owls and Ural Owls) have been brought to Heinola bird sanctyary to be tryed to get help, to survive and then to be returned in the nature.

some pictures a bit later.

[Olga]

The squirrel of today:

[Olga]

1. Photos of the depressions by some prey bird and of some little mammal:

This picture is from the top of the snow heap



These traces were lower on the same snow heap



There were the traces:

[Olga]

2.

What did I found on the snow under the car





Our winter may be beautiful, but it is also dangerous, for people and for animals. A huge pine brance broke on its own weight and fell down just in front of the door on the same second when I was outdoors putting fat balls on the edge of the dog fence. Thnak heaven I was 10 meter further the boom:

There was the car anyway. We have protect it and to find an other place to put it, not under that pine..

[Olga]

The pine in front of the door of the house...I love it!



The branch that fell down is more than four meter long..