January Birdies

Wow! It seems that our friends in Canada decided we had it much too easy and they sent us some of their cold weather via the "Alberta Clipper", okay you can stop now. For those of you in Minnesota you know what I mean, but believe me for those in California, even in the Sierra's it just rarely ever gets this cold. Does anyone make a fully insulated bird house with forced air heat? I am sure my friends could use one right about now.

The bird population is still low around here, so low in fact, that a fellow bird enthusiast asked me if I had stolen her crowd. I assured her that my bird houses were empty, even the fancy decorative birdhouses and my bird feeders weren't but I was starting to see and hear a few more feathered friends around the yard. Even just this morning when the temperature was up to a balmy 15 degrees Fahrenheit (well just a few days ago -15 and lower greeted us with the sunrise) I heard some extra twitterings in the trees.

I can see out the front window that the chickadees have found the new birdfeeder I put up yesterday. I have two different birds that closely so resemble each other I find it interesting. The mountain and the black capped chickadee look just like red-breasted nuthatch. The nuthatches are a tiny bit thinner (sleek) and have more of an insect eating bill. I have also seen the missing Donner Lake Flicker and 2 of the mourning doves. Around here the cry of the dove is often mistaken for one of the owls (we have several). In addition I am seeing more Dark eyed (Oregon) Junco's. They are ground feeders so I make sure I drop seed under the bird feeder as I fill it. Easy enough to do I am not the tidiest of people.

Now is the time I search the catalogs and the internet for spring supplies. As always I will have to replace several of my favorite birdfeeders and birdhouses, due to winter damage (you know; wind, snow, bears, raccoons). A great place to find new ones has been birdbathsplus.com they have a great variety and reasonable prices. Sometimes I think my winter shopping trips are the only things that get me through the cold dark months. Around here I can't even set out my seeds to sprout until April we have such a short growing season. Stay warm and dry!