Picture of the day - January 2, 2008

A colorful house finch enjoying a beautiful winter day

Photo courtesy of Winston Rockwell. With winter hitting my part of the country pretty hard at the moment, I find myself sitting here daydreaming about the great weather we can look forward to come spring, and as luck would have it, frequent contributor Winston Rockwell just submitted a wonderful photograph of a "house finch" enjoying a rare sunny day not far from his Washington State home. I believe it will make a very appropriate "Picture of the Day"...so here you go! I think I'll just sit back and let Mr. Rockwell tell you the story behind the image... "Winter brings shorter days, bare trees, and in many parts of the country, frigid cold and snow. The sun never rises very high in the sky, even at noon - here in Washington, at its zenith it's barely 30 degrees above the horizon. Sunny days are rare; most of the time, it's cold, gloomy and wet, and most of God's creatures are either asleep in some snug den or have gone south to warmer climes to wait for the return of spring. Today was one of those rare sunny winter days here in the Northwest when the sky is blue, the winds are calm, and the light is perfect for taking photographs. The local park, which is also a wildlife sanctuary, is a haven for birds of all kinds, so I took my camera for a visit to take advantage of the beautiful day. I got there at mid-morning, and as I walked toward the lake, I noticed a variety of small birds flitting about in some old blackberry bushes. Most were dull and drab, but suddenly this beautifully-colored house finch appeared. He bounced from one spot to another, foraging in the dried brush, his feathers positively glowing in the soft sunlight. Then he paused almost on cue and presented me with some picture- perfect photo opportunities. It's hard to imagine seeing such a lovely little creature in the dead of winter, and the sight of this one bird lifted my spirits all day. Winter will not last forever, and the time of rebirth and new life will be upon us soon..."  --Winston Rockwell Click here to comment on this picture.   Visit the POTD Archives for previous "Pictures Of The Day"!     Submit a photo of your own!            Why I publish the "Picture of the Day"