Is Spring Here?

Well it's spring, in some parts of the country anyway, around here winter is truly just beginning. Last week my robin returned, only to be buried in 4 feet of snow. The poor thing. I have a wooden bird feeder on a pole and it literally had three feet of snow on its roof. This robin always seems to bring the first major snow storm of the New Year. He doesn't like the birdhouses but he will eat at the platform birdfeeder. I haven't seen him since the storm, but I am fairly sure he is still around, in fact now that I think about it, he yelled at me tonight as I came home from work, better remember to fill the feeders.

Remember the cartoon where the little bird "Woodstock" ice skates on his frozen bird bath? It looked just like that around here when the power went out for a few days and the birdbath froze solid. Does anyone know why birdie feet don't freeze? Anyway, I guess that my long spell with no garden visitors is finally over, even if spring is here in theory only, many of my regulars are back.

You know that whole thing about being able to tell the weather by animal behavior. Well these guys are terrific at predicting storms, several hours to 1 day prior to a major storm they start clamoring for more food in the birdfeeders. They can really be extremely demanding. Even to knocking on the front door or staring in the front window if they don't have enough food. Then about an hour before the storm breaks, they disappear completely and everything is silent. Not a bird to be found in bird feeders, birdbaths or even in the bird houses. They just go. Then depending on the type of storm they might come back to eat during the day or they may just hole up until it passes.

This is the time of year when supplementing their wild food with birdfeeders full of seed or suet, peanut butter or fresh fruit for the orioles, is a must. Depending on where you live there are definitely less resources available and they need all the help we are willing to give them. Since most everything here is completely buried in snow, it's a must. Especially since the tiny birds are getting ready to lay some eggs for the new crop of adorable babies. I can't wait for spring to really be here.