I slowly approach the edge of the marsh looking for any signs of tiny green shoots that dare to challenge the ice. Of course it’s still way to early but hope is built on breaking the law of averages. Today the averages win again though and I shift my focus to the blood red hips of the swamp roses. I count the days by the volume of the tiny red beads displayed on thorny perches. They are actually among the last things that birds will forage on and so the more that vanish, the closer we are to a change in seasons. The tight camera angle might leave us with the impression that the marsh is still full of them but a large chunk of them are missing.
Tucked away in the wetland grasses these rose hips offer songbirds a little privacy for enjoying a meal. Just to the left of center we can see the hips have been pecked at. The brighter colors of two berries and exposed seeds tell me that the birds couldn’t dislodge them from the stems. Perhaps they were a little over ripe and broke apart before they could be eaten. In any case it means that the birds are foraging on rose hips. They will eat a little of them all through the winter but they don’t really hit them heavy until late season when everything else is the most scarce. During the colder weather they seem to prefer a higher fat content in their diet. I think that’s because it’s a higher energy density for them to keep warm.
I haven’t gotten him on camera yet and I’ve only caught a glimpse but I think I heard a Bluebird call near my feeder today. It’s a bit early for them as well but with the recent cold front dipping farther south than normal it’s conceivable that it may have moved out of the way of the front.
That’s it for tonight friends. Good night and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup
Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.
https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
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