Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Winter is Here...

In New England we have nine months of winter and three months of darned poor sledding.
~old New England proverb

I think this bird is wishing it had migrated south for the winter.
Thankfully it's not usually as bad as that old saying would make it seem, but winter in New England is now in full swing.  The holidays were lovely, if cold.  Though my family coming from down south was delayed by our ice storm, they made it up before Christmas to spend the week with us.

crabapple tree encased in ice
Everything was covered in an impressive layer of ice.  The curly ting in my winter containers had a little extra pizazz.


We were lucky enough to get snow on Christmas.  It was so lovely to have a white Christmas, especially for my family up from the south.  The temperatures then dropped to below zero (-20° Celsius) for a true New England winter experience.  Despite the cold, we all had a great time spending time with family that we don't see often enough.


The bitter weather continued into the New Year with a blizzard the first week of January that dropped about a foot and a half of snow.


The second week of January it rained and then got up to about 60°F (15°C).  The poor plants were probably totally confused, but the birds were ecstatic to get some respite.  I've never heard them sing so loudly.

Bluebird basking in the sun
This week it is back to snowing again.  While it might not last nine months, New England winters can get rather long, so it's critical to have hobbies.  Bird watching is one that really helps me through the winter.  When all the plants are brown and frozen, it is so enjoyable just to see signs of life outside.

Northern flicker
Every year I've had Bluebirds overwinter here, and I was glad to see several Bluebirds stay this year as well.  It was once quite rare to see Bluebirds this far north in winter, but it is now becoming more common.  They are one of my favorites, with their brilliant blue plumage.


The story of the Bluebirds is also one of my favorites.  Their population saw a steep decline between 1920 and 1970 due to widespread pesticide use, an increase of house cats, loss of habitat, and invasive birds that aggressively took over suitable nesting sites.  By the 1970's, Bluebirds were on the brink of extinction.  Thankfully a grassroots movement took hold to save them.  Organizations such as the North American Bluebird Society formed, which set up and monitored trails of bluebird nesting boxes.  Concerned bird-lovers put up nesting boxes all over the country.  The movement was a smashing success, and the population of Bluebirds rebounded.


Isn't that such a hopeful story?  Other conservation efforts have really caught on recently, such as helping the bees and the Monarch butterfly, and I do hope that these efforts will be just as successful.  (And hopefully these efforts will also have a positive effect on the environment for the many creatures out there that aren't quite as flashy or as noticeable.)


Judging by the tracks and plant damage I think our bunny and deer populations are doing pretty well, though... 

bunny tracks on the front walkway
...possibly too well.

Happy winter, and stay warm!


14 comments:

  1. Oh gosh, it does look cold. It makes me feel a real wimp shivering at -2C but that is quite cold enough for me! The ice looks so pretty, so destructive though. I hope your plants survive.

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    1. I hope so, too! I have a new rose I'm a little worried about, so I kept shoveling snow on top of it to insulate it, along with the burlap around it.

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  2. What nice photos of the birds at the feeders! Mine are much less cooperative ;)
    Nice to hear you had such a nice holiday in spite fo the weather. We'll be planting in no time, right?

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    1. I have my feeder right next to my window, which helps a lot with the photo taking! The seed starting will be happening before you know it. And then things get quite busy, so I try to enjoy the quiet season while there's not as much to do, even if it is a little dull outside! :)

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  3. Beautiful bird photos! Yes, the story of the bluebird comeback is encouraging. I'm glad you had a very pleasant holiday celebration with the family and they made it safely there. Ice is really tough! Enjoy the beauty of winter.

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    1. Thank you! Things do really look quite pretty with the snow. Ice is much more dangerous, but thankfully it didn't last too long.

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  4. I love seeing all your bird photos! We've had the same weather as you, except for not as much snow. I enjoy watching the birds as well, especially since I can watch them without leaving the warmth of my living room:) I've never seen a bluebird here, although I do believe they are in the area. So interesting how conservation efforts have increased their numbers; I hope the same will be true for the Monarchs and bees as well.

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    1. I have the feeder right next to my window, and it is definitely nice to watch them and photograph them while staying warm! I hope all the efforts to help the other critters works as well, too. Monarch numbers seem to be increasing since the movement started, so that is a positive sign.

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  5. Cold but gorgeous! Love the colorful birds you have back east like the cardinals (which I've never seen in person) and bluebirds. A great antidote to cabin fever!

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  6. Imagine that ... nine months of winter. I would move immediately. But your winter bird photography is wonderful.

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  7. It has been a REAL winter so far, hasn't it? None of that mild stuff, lol. Your bird pix are wonderful. I agree, the birds give a welcome diversion from the dreariness of winter.

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  8. (Winter is here) not half, mind you, just as well the nine month is an exaggeration. Terrific pictures of the birds.

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  9. Encouraging to hear about the bluebirds. I'm sure that has other good ripples for insects and small songbirds.

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  10. Brrr! I don't envy your long winter, but I do envy your white Christmas! (We actually had snow in December, but it was gone by Christmas.) I love the story of the bluebirds. It does give us hope. A few weeks ago I had a flock of male bluebirds come by, all of them going in and out of our various birdhouses. Checking out the local real estate! I hope some of them will return with their mates when it is time for nesting.

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