Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Snow Storm and Birding

I hear there's a snowstorm coming our way. Actually it's already started to snow here in north-central PA. The local forecast for the Aerie is for upwards of 2 feet of snow this evening through tomorrow night.

If the bird activity this morning was any indication, we may well get all they are predicting and more. Dozens and dozens of juncos, chickadees, goldfinches, nuthatches, titmice, and downy woodpeckers swarmed to the feeders in a frenzy reminiscent of NJ suburbanites flocking to the grocery for milk and bread before a 2 inch snowfall. I mean to tell you there was some hectic action going on here.

A couple of blue jays tried to join in but the little guys almost ran them over in mid air as they zipped back and forth between the trees and feeders. One huge pileated woodpecker came in to the seed heads still perched at the end of the sumac along the edge of the driveway and worked on them for 15 minutes. I guess his perch was far enough out of the flight path so he was not in danger.

Any way, twilight has arrived and the birds have gone to seek shelter as the snow falls in earnest now.

The winds are supposed to kick up to 25-35 miles per hour tomorrow. It's going to get interesting.

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