Marcy's Snowy Owl and New Arrivals

It's been about a week ago now that Marcy photographed a Snowy Owl on a fencepost near Ithaca. For me, this was a big event, and I wasn't even there. I did not know how far south the Snowy comes, but I've done some research and found that this is not all that rare an event. It is no less wonderful, however. And who has seen a Snowy Owl in Ithaca, Michigan? We will be on the lookout for them through all our winters now.

Every day recently brings new arrivals (while the Snowy is actually passing through on his way back north). Yesterday three species returned to our place. Early in the morning, I heard the House Wrens on the hill behind the Basswoods. A short time later, I heard the Common Yellowthroats down in the marsh. In the afternoon, two male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks showed up at the feeders on the porch.

Two days ago, on Sunday afternoon when Alison got home, she noticed the Robin's nest on the rear tire of the Subaru. Our first thought was that I need to get out more. But then we realized how fast Robins can build their nests. Since we had driven the car Friday night, two Robins had built this nest between sunrise Saturday and about 3:00 Sunday afternoon. Fortunatey they had not yet laid eggs in it, so we moved it assuming they would build elsewhere again.