I have been in bed today again, but it is not such a bad place to be when the temperature has been below freezing all day. The low reading for today was 12 degrees above zero this morning at eight. That is the lowest temperature for Charlotte since January 2, 1928. Today I saw a Mocking bird eating suet in the little maple tree beneath my window. He had just been eating the Ligustrum berries and I suppose he wanted a change of diet. I had never heard that a Mockingbird would eat suet. I saw a Junco eating suet today, also for the first time, though I knew they liked it. The Cardinals and white throated sparrows were on the feeding trays when I looked out. I saw Myrtle warblers and Chickadees at the suet also. I saw a new visitor in the pine outside the window that I couldn’t identify as his movements were so fast but I think it was a Ruby Crowned Kinglet. I do hope he’ll be back tomorrow so that I can see him better.

 

Florence called me to the window to see some little sparrows in the grass on the front lawn. I could not see them well enough to find out what they were but could see that they were nothing I was familiar with. Miles dug up part of the upper lot this morning and when I looked out a pair of Phoebes were having a fine time. They would perch on a high clod of dirt and then dive down into a furrow and get a worm in the most approved flycatcher fashion. I had never seen them perched on the ground before, though, and they were amusing. One of them chased a Myrtle warbler away from the suet, for no apparent reason, as he did not touch the suet himself.

 

While it is so cold we empty the birdbath after dark and then refill it early in the morning with warm water. When we leave the water in all night it’s frozen so hard to the bath that it takes several bucketfuls of hot water to thaw it out. The birds certainly appreciate it as they go to it immediately.

 

Yesterday Eddie showed a farm to a prospect and saw about forty doves in a field. I haven’t seen one since dove season so I was envious. They came to the garden for water before hunting began.