The Frozen Northeast

Winter has certainly come on the scene with a substantial impact. Temperatures this morning were in the single digits and the wildlife responded accordingly. Check out the downspout outside out home this morning. Running water stopped in its tracks by the frigid air.

The mallards on our local pond must be very confused as they have yet to move to open water. With few blood vessels in their feet and legs, they can withstand temperatures that would give us frostbite in short time, but these guys are content to sit on their legs or just stand on the ice.

The cold air means the snow which fell a couple of days ago has not melted and is covering valuable seeds and berries needed by out avian tenants for sustenance. Our feeders become a valuable resource for the birds at this time of year, especially when these kind of conditions arise. Today, we had 13 species of songbirds frequenting this valuable source of food. Most of our guests were the usual clientele which show up from day to day, but the rarest of those at the feeders today was the Song sparrow which unfortunately did not hang around long enough for me to photograph.

It was interesting to see which birds preferred which seed. The Carolina wrens were always at the fruit and nut mix, the house sparrows and finches at the mixed seeds, the tufted titmouse preferred the Safflower seeds, while the cardinals and jays were most fond of the sunflower kernels

Tech tip - Camera batteries do not fare too well in extreme temperatures. When out in the cold air of winter, be prepared for shorter battery life by carrying at least one spare with you. Make sure you keep that battery warm by carrying it in an inside pocket close to the warmth of your body.