A Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) enjoying the seeds of Black-eyed Susans buried in deep snow. Snow that fell in 2016.

December of 2021 was incredibly warm. Now the first two days of this new year of 2022 have followed that example with precision. Not like winter at all. Tonight as I write this it is 50°. Hardly a temperature that would make one think snow is in the forecast but sure enough it is. I’m hoping the forecasts are correct.

Dark-eyed Juncos are also known as Snowbirds and appropriately show up here as winter approaches. A few hardy little ones stay year round further up in the mountains but at this elevation they are only here during the usually coldest part of the year. I’m hoping they’ll get some snow to play in, in the early hours tomorrow morning. And some snow for me to play in too!