It has been a particularly snowy
and cold February. Central Pennsylvania had a snow cover for three weeks
beginning with the Nor’easter that began the month and brought 14-15 inches of
snow locally. The backyard birds needed a little more food at the feeders than
is usual. The below average temperatures froze open water, thus delaying the
migration of snow geese and tundra swans to the Middle Creek Wildlife Management
Area in Lancaster County.
The back and forth between the
various species in our backyard is entertainment. It appears that three mating
pairs of bluebirds have used our feeders as a base for food this month. No
wonder, because the snow is deep enough that I have used my new snowshoes to
deliver food and seed to the various feeders. The cats, Coco and Pip in
particular, seem mesmerized by the squabbles between mockingbirds and bluebirds
over the mealworms I have left. It is a drama that Margaret Renkl captured in
her essay,
mirroring many people’s concerns about the current state of the world during. The
battle for food here, however, is not limited to these two species, joined by
starlings and crafty squirrels. The starlings descend on our feeders like
ravenous commandos, aggressively emptying them seemingly within second. The
squirrels are much more methodical, deducing how to circumnavigate “squirrel-proof”
feeders, to casually fill their bellies. Whether our intervention into wildlife
is correct or effective, Angie and I are wont to open the window to chase the
squirrels and starlings away frequently.
This month also reminded us of
the great diversity and complexity of the natural world. A bilateral
gynandromorph, half-male, half female, northern cardinal was spotted in Warren
County, Pennsylvania, near Erie this month. It is a reminder that we are not
all the same and that variations happen and are natural.
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| House Finch |
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| Ring-billed Gull |
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Snow Geese at the Children's Lake (Boiling Springs)
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Juvenile Snow Goose. The patterns on this one was interesting.
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| A squirrel-proof feeder... |
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