HARK! HARK! THE CLOUDS BREAK APART AND (THE BIG BIRDS FLY AGAIN PHOTO BLOG)

Hi Everybody!
Wow, what a great day as the cold slipped away this afternoon into the cracks of the clouds. I finally got to turn my heater off and open the windows. I am quite sure the energy companies are seeing these Polar Vortexes from a different point of view than the people stranded on the ground. Texas was very prepared and I am thankful we missed the mass of the storm system. I was so happy to see the Blue Skies and Sunshine. The buzzards celebrated with a wild buzzard rodeo over my head as you will see in the photos below. The tree skeletons are very noticeable with the leaves gone. I snapped my favorite tree trunk of the toothache tree by coon bridge. Enjoy!



















Wild Buzzard Rodeo to celebrate the exit of the cold!








Link to photostudy in G+ Albums:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5974837961972996817


This one is a Black Vulture (shorter body than the Texas Turkeys)

Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus brasiliensis in Panama
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Incertae sedis (disputed)
Family:	Cathartidae
Genus:	Coragyps Le Maout, 1853
Species:	C. atratus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Vulture











The next photo is from the same place as the cloudy one above. I took the one below yesterday when the sun came out What a difference Blue Sky and Sunshine make in my photos!


2 cabins



3rd cabin: This is Kates Cabin in the sun again


This is a toothache tree by Coon Bridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanthoxylum_clava-herculis

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis, Hercules' club (or Hercules-club), pepperwood, orsouthern prickly ash, is a spiny tree or shrub native to the southeastern United States. It grows to 10–17 m tall and has distinctive spined thick, corky lumps 2–3 cm long on thebark. The leaves are glabrous and leathery,^[1] pinnately compound, 20–30 cm long with 7-19 leaflets, each leaflet 4–5 cm long. The flowers are dioecious, in panicles up to 20 cm long, each flower small, 6–8 mm diameter, with 3-5 white petals. The fruit is a two-valved capsule 6 mm diameter with a rough surface, and containing several small black seeds. The tree has also been called Z. macrophyllum. The genus name is sometimes spelledXanthoxylum.

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis
Xanthophyllum clava-herculis (Hercules' Club)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Zanthoxylum
Species:	Z. clava-herculis

Along with the related Zanthoxylum americanum, it is sometimes called "toothache tree"^[2][3] or "tingle tongue" because of the numbness of the mouth, teeth, and tongue induced by chewing on its leaves or bark (thus relieving toothache). It was used for such medicinal purposes by both Native Americans and early settlers.^[4]

The tree has a rounded crown and requires plentiful water and sunlight. Its leaves are browsed by deer and its fruit is eaten by birds. The fruit passes through birds, which helps the seeds to germinate.^[4] The new trees tend to sprout below the favorite resting places of the birds, along fence rows and the edge of woods.^[5] It is known to be host to a number of insect species, including the Giant Swallowtail(Papilio cresphontes) and the leaf beetleDerospidea brevicollis

Hence "Hercules Club"

Link to photostudy in G+ Albums:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5974462758966513185
Yesterday:

Northern Cardinal Male








Goldfinch


...this is brendasue signing off from Rainbow Creek.  See You next time!

O+O
PS Thank You Google Auto Backup for the Snow and clips!

WINTER STORM LEON (HAS COME AND GONE PHOTO BLOG)

Hi Everybody!!
Winter marches on as another 'Winter Storm' has come and gone. This time as the wintry mix approached, there were advance road and school closures. Fortunately for South Texas, this storm did not hit us with full force so we ended up with a light dusting of ice and no snow here. I shot the pics of the birds at the "height" of the ice accumulation on the deck. Personally, I do not drive if the word ice is involved. My friend in Canada, +jerry robin , posted a photo of a snow plow he was driving behind. (I was amazed as I have never seen one!) For your info tonight, I have shared from Wikipedia about 'Winter Storm'. Also, You will find a link to the Weather Channel where you can get updates on any storm system. Be careful and be prepared is the best advice for any storm. Stay Warm! 
(And Feed the Birds!)

*Special Treat: +jerry robin 's photo in Canada:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/102923542908465810060/albums/5974161388730125697/5974161387216252354?pid=5974161387216252354&oid=102923542908465810060


WOW- Thanks for sharing +jerry robin !!

Back in Texas:




American Goldfinch







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_storm

Winter storm

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A winter storm is an event in which the varieties of precipitation are formed that only occur at low temperatures, such as snow or sleet, or a rainstorm where ground temperatures are low enough to allow ice to form (i.e. freezing rain). In temperate continental climates, these storms are not necessarily restricted to the winter season, but may occur in the late autumn and early spring as well. Very rarely, they may form in summer, though it would have to be an abnormally cold summer, such as the summer of1816 in the Northeast United States of America.

Snow[edit]

Main article: snow

Chicago's Fullerton Harbor looking south during the January 31–February 2, 2011 North American winter storm (left) and on a clear day for comparison

Approaching winter storm in Salt Lake City.

Snowstorms are storms where large amounts of snow fall. Snow is less dense thanliquid water, by a factor of approximately 10 at temperatures slightly below freezing, and even more at much colder temperatures.^{[citation needed]} Therefore, an amount of water that would produce 0.8 in (20 mm) of rain could produce at least 8 in (20 cm) of snow. Two inches (5 cm) of snow is enough to create serious disruptions totraffic and school transport (because of the difficulty to drive and maneuver the school buses on slick roads). This is particularly true in places where snowfall is not typical but heavy accumulating snowfalls can occur. In places where snowfall is typical, such small snowfalls are rarely disruptive, because of effective snow and ice removal by municipalities, increased use of four-wheel drive and snow tires, and drivers being more used to winter conditions. Snowfalls in excess of 6 inches (15 cm) are usually universally disruptive.

A massive snowstorm with strong winds and other conditions meeting certain criteria is known as a blizzard. A large number of heavy snowstorms, some of which were blizzards, occurred in the United States during 1888 and 1947 as well as the early and mid-1990s. The snowfall of 1947 exceeded 2 feet (61 cm) with drifts and snow piles from plowing that reached 12 feet (3.7 m) and for months, temperatures did not rise high enough to melt the snow. The 1993 "Superstorm" was manifest as a blizzard in most of the affected area.

Large snowstorms could be quite dangerous: a 6 in (15 cm) snowstorm will make some unplowed roads impassable, and it is possible for automobiles to get stuck in the snow. Snowstorms exceeding 12 in (30 cm) especially in southern or generally warm climates will cave the roofs of some homes and cause the loss of electricity. Standing dead trees can also be brought down by the weight of the snow, especially if it is wet or very dense. Even a few inches of dry snow can form drifts many feet high under windy conditions.

Dangers of snow[edit]

Snowstorms are usually considered less dangerous than ice storms. However, the snow can bring secondary dangers. Mountainsnowstorms can produce cornices and avalanches. An additional danger, following a snowy winter, is spring flooding if the snow melts suddenly because of a dramatic rise in air temperature. Deaths can occur from hypothermia, infections brought on by frostbite or car accidents due to slippery roads. Fires and carbon monoxide poisoning can occur after a storm causes a power outage. Large amounts of snow can also significantly reduce visibility in the area, a phenomenon known as a whiteout; this can be very dangerous to those who are in densely populated areas, since the whiteout can cause major accidents on the road or while flying. There is also several cases of heart attacks caused by overexertion while shoveling heavy wet snow. It is difficult to predict what form this precipitation will take, and it may alternate between rain and snow. Therefore, weather forecasters just predict a "wintry mix". Usually, this type of precipitation occurs at temperatures between −2 and 2 °C (28.4 and 35.6 °F). Snowstorms generally occur when different types of air masses in the mid-latitudes interact. These storms feed on differences in temperature and moisture. Initially, a wave is typically formed in the mid levels of the atmosphere as a result of a variety of things, be it a mountain range, injection of vorticity (energy), or several other reasons. Assuming certain conditions are in place for this wave to amplify, it will do so and begin to rotate, which effectively moves warm and moist air from one air mass to the north, and much colder and dryer air behind it to the south and east. The boundaries between the air masses constitute the warm and cold fronts of the new cyclone/storm. Snow storms that produce a lot of snow require an outside source of moisture, such as the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean in the United States. This requires yet more conditions to be just right, namely for the flow (the general wind flow at certain levels of the atmosphere) in the low-mid levels of the atmosphere to be aligned such that moisture can readily be transported from these regions directly into the storm. Another condition that must be met for a healthy storm is the air that is converging and rising in the center of this low pressure system, the snow storm, to have an outlet as it rises up in the atmosphere. In other words, this air must be able to readily diverge at the mid levels of the atmosphere, effectively removing it from the storm and allowing this cycle to continue.

Freezing rain

Heavy showers of freezing rain are one of the most dangerous types of winter storm. They typically occur when a layer of warm air hovers over a region, but the ambient temperature a few meters above the ground is near or below 0 °C (32 °F), and the ground temperature is sub-freezing.

While a 10 cm (3.9 in) snowstorm is somewhat manageable by the standards of the northern United States and Canada, a comparable 10 mm (0.39 in) ice storm can paralyze a region: driving becomes extremely hazardous, telephone and power lines are damaged, and crops may be ruined. Because they do not require extreme cold, ice storms often occur in warm temperature climates (such as the southern United States) and cooler ones. Ice storms in Florida will often destroy entire orange crops.

Notable ice storms include an El Niño-related North American ice storm of 1998 that affected much of eastern Canada, includingMontreal and Ottawa, as well as upstate New York and part of New England. Three million people lost power, some for as long as six weeks. One-third of the trees in Montreal's Mount Royal park were damaged, as well as a large proportion of the sugar-producingmaple trees. The amount of economic damage caused by the storm has been estimated at $3 billion Canadian.

The Ice Storm of December 2002 in North Carolina resulted in massive power loss throughout much of the state, and property damage due to falling trees. Except in the mountainous western part of the state, heavy snow and icy conditions are rare in North Carolina.

The Ice Storm of December 2005 was another severe winter storm producing extensive ice damage across a large portion of the Southern United States on December 14 to 16. It led to power outages and at least 7 deaths.

In January 2005 Kansas had been declared a major disaster zone by President George W. Bush after an ice storm caused nearly $39 million in damages to 32 counties. Federal funds were provided to the counties during January 4–6, 2005 to aid the recovery process.^[1]

The January 2009 Central Plains and Midwest ice storm was a crippling and historic ice storm. Most places struck by the storm, saw 2 inches (51 mm) or more of ice accumulation, and a few inches of snow on top it. This brought down power lines, causing some people to go without power for a few days, to a few weeks. In some cases, some didn't see power for a month or more. At the height of the storm, more than 2 million people were without power.

Graupel[edit]

Main article: Graupel

Ice crystals fall through a cloud of super-cooled droplets—minute cloud droplets that have fallen below freezing temperature but have not frozen. The ice crystal plows into the super-cooled droplets and they immediately freeze to it. This process forms graupel, or snow pellets, as the droplet continues to accumulate on the crystal. The pellets bounce when they hit the ground.

Ice pellets[edit]

Main article: Ice pellets

Out ahead of the passage of a warm front, falling snow may partially melt and refreeze into a frozen rain drop before it reaches the ground. These ice pellets are called sleet. Because it is easily seen and does not accumulate ice, it is not as dangerous as freezing rain.

Rime[edit]

Main article: Hard rime

Rime is a milky white accumulation of super-cooled cloud or fog droplets that freeze when they strike an object that has a temperature of 32 °F (0 °C), the freezing point of water. The process is called riming when super-cooled cloud droplets attach to ice crystals in the formation of graupel. Rime ice can pose a hazard to an airliner when it forms on a wing as an aircraft flies through a cloud of super-cooled droplets.
(See link for complete article)

Check on any storm status at:
LINK TO THE WEATHER CHANNEL:
http://www.weather.com/



Link to photostudy in G+Album:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5974053441133073697



Blue Jay




yellow warbler



Northern Cardinal



Texas Turkey Buzzard

...this is brendasue signing off from Rainbow Creek.  See You next time!

O+O

A SOLVED GOLDEN MYSTERY YIELDS (ANOTHER BIG SURPRISE PHOTO BLOG)

Hi Everybody!!
Most of You know I have been very excited about having a little golden guest here at the Bird Sanctuary this winter. He made himself known to me on Thanksgiving Day, when he looked in my window while we were having dinner! I immediately put a feeder up for him and he has been here everyday since. Most of my glimpses of him have been through the icy glass window from my desk. Sometimes he would seem green and sometimes golden. Anyway, I am a old lady and the eyesight is not that good. Surprise, surprise, surprise: it turns out there are two (2) winter hummingbirds!!!!!! One is gold and the other is green. As I never have seen a golden hummingbird, I thought perhaps mine was a new robotic deal, but No, no one could make a robot as pretty as this bird. Now, You know where to go when you need the answer to anything, right? Google Search! I typed in golden hummingbird. Up pops a Rufous Hummingbird that could be my golden hummer and the green one could be his girl. Also found an Allen's Hummingbird. These birds are not from Texas and not shown on any map in my area, however, in the Wikipedia info below, it states the there are eastern vagrants called Rufous/Allen Hummingbird. They are staying over on the Gulf Coast down to Florida. These tiny guests are even more amazing: pioneers in new migration route. See what You think! Enjoy! 


Link to Photostudy in G+Albums:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5973462830765880945



































Link to Photostudy in G+Albums:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5973463989959308753


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous_Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) is a small hummingbird, about 8 cm long (3 inches) with a long, straight and very slender bill. The female is slightly larger than the male.

Rufous Hummingbird
Adult male
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Trochiliformes
Family:	Trochilidae
Genus:	Selasphorus
Species:	S. rufus

Description[edit]

The adult male, (shown in the photo), has a white breast, rufous face, upperparts, flanks and tail and an iridescent orange-red throat patch (gorget). Some males have some green on back and/or crown. The female has green upperparts with some white, some iridescent orange feathers in the center of the throat, and a dark tail with white tips and rufous base. Females and the rare green-backed males are extremely difficult to differentiate from Allen's Hummingbird. This is a typical-sized hummingbird, being a very small bird. It weighs 2–5 g (0.071–0.18 oz), measures 7–9 cm (2.8–3.5 in) long and spans 11 cm (4.3 in) across the wings.^[2]

They feed on nectar from flowers using a long extendible tongue or catch insects on the wing. These birds require frequent feeding while active during the day and become torpid at night to conserve energy.

Because of their small size, they are vulnerable to insect-eating birds and animals.

Breeding[edit]

Their breeding habitat is open areas and forest edges in western North America from southern Alaska to California. This bird nests further north than any other hummingbird. The female builds a nest in a protected location in a shrub or conifer. The male aggressively defends feeding locations within his territory. The same male may mate with several females. The males can also become really aggressive toward the females.

A hovering Rufous Hummingbird onSaltspring Island

A perched Rufous Hummingbird

A perched female Rufous Hummingbird

Migration[edit]

They are migratory, many of them migrating through the Rocky Mountains and nearby lowlands in July and August to take advantage of the wildflower season there. They may stay in one spot for considerable time, in which case the migrants, like breeding birds, often aggressively take over and defend feeding locations. Most winter in wooded areas in the Mexico state of Guerrero, traveling over 2,000 miles by an overland route from its nearest summer home—a prodigious journey for a bird weighing only three or four grams.

This is the western hummingbird most likely to stray into eastern North America. In the United States, there has been an increasing trend for them to migrate southeast to winter in warmer climates like Florida or on the Gulf Coast, rather than in Mexico. (They do arrive at the Turks and Caicos Islands.) This trend is the result of increased survival with the provision of artificial feeders in gardens. In the past, individuals that migrated eastward toward Canada and the northern USA in error would usually die, but now they often survive as they seem to spend more time in the warm Gulf Coast and Florida. Provided sufficient food and shelter is available, they are surprisingly hardy, able to tolerate temperatures down to at least -20°C, so they can be seen in late fall in places like the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and upper New England. As winter comes birds in these areas normally head to the warmer Gulf coast and Florida.

Most hummingbirds that migrate east are juvenile birds and may occasionally be adult females but are very seldom adult males. Since juvenile or female are essentially indistinguishable from Allen's Hummingbirds unless they are examined in hand, many of the eastern vagrants are classified as "Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird". However, a majority are believed to be from the Rufous species.^[3]

Link to Photostudy in G+Albums:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5972120169715854097

HaHa-this is Not my hummingbird!:

https://www.google.com/search?q=robotic+hummingbird&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS552US555&espv=210&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=mT3nUsjvE5fMsQSelYHYDg&ved=0CCcQsAQ&biw=1014&bih=626#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=9PpoFKoKT_x4GM%253A%3BD7LWm5wVEHBUTM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Frealitypod.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2012%252F02%252F6.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Frealitypod.com%252F2012%252F02%252F7-strange-robots-the-pentagon-is-developing%252F%3B600%3B400



The last past Polar Vortex did not stop Spring or this Red Maple Bloom!! 
(Hold on for a wild ride tonight as freezing temps forecast for next 20 hours-----)

..this is brendasue signing off from Rainbow Creek.
See You next time!

Link to Photostudy in G+Albums:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5973567218841360833
O+O