More Snow, Birds.

2-1-11 SHORT HILLS: We’re back in the cold awaiting the ice/snow weekly ‘Storm of the Century’. The prediction was for a couple inches today, but we only got a dusting, but we do not feel short-changed. Tomorrow we are expecting this week’s snowlocaust.

I spent about a hour outside this afternoon clearing snow from the junipers along the driveway. They seem to be the most susceptible of the evergreens to storm damage. Their growth pattern is such that they form dense foliage platforms that trap and retain the snow until branches break. I found one sizable branch broken and cut it off so that it won’t add to the burden on other branches. It took about another hour to dry off and warm up.

Here are some more of last weekend’s water birds. Don’t be shy about helping with my ID’s.


Greater Scaup, a diving bay duck.

Brown Pelican, adult, winter plumage.

Two Reddish Egrets in snooze mode, right; cormorant, left.

White Pelicans have black wing tips visible in flight.