Monday, February 10, 2014

And the birds come calling

As has been the case everywhere this winter, cold temps have made living harder for everyone. This includes our feathered friends and so I have increased my efforts to keep bird seed available. And this year, like every other one with really low temps, has brought in new customers.

I had not seen goldfinch or house finch until we hit the single digits, in reality or wind chill. And then a new customer came calling. It took me a while to find him in the bird book, but I finally did: a dark-eyed Junco. Now, where has he been all this time?

Bad weather brings out bad tempers, too, and this must be true in the animal kingdom as well. I watched a bluejay and a red-headed woodpecker have a show down under a bush in my neighbor's yard. The blue jay stared the woodpecker down sufficiently that the latter retreated to a tree, only to be chased off it by the jay! Seeking territory?

Ah--is love in the blue jay air? Can spring be far behind?

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