Winter is cloudy, cold, and windy with sunny days sprinkled in. When we first started birding, we wondered if birds reside here in winter. We realized we can spot both all-year residents and winter migrants in parks, and even in our backyard if we make it bird friendly.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Freeman Park recently welcomed us with gorgeous yellow fall colors and a carpeted trail of fallen yellow leaves. I stopped often to look and listen for birds, spotted a dozen using binoculars, but their constant movement challenged my quest to photograph them. After visiting the gushing Brushy Creek, I heard a bird call, found it hopping continuously, stood right next to it for a while, and photographed it, a beautiful experience. Merlin BirdID identified it as Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a perfect prize. Other winter migrants we spotted include Golden-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Eastern Phoebe, and American Goldfinch.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Our backyard is bird friendly – even a brief visit by birds makes us act like empty nester parents. Our feeders with different seed types cater to varied tastes of winter migrants and minimize competition. Chipping Sparrows crowd at our feeder, and skirmish when it is almost empty. Pine Siskin visits too, but Red-breasted Nuthatch is the winner. One explores all around and below the feeder. Another enjoys its gentle sway in the wind. They are picky, discard seeds they don’t like, take their favorite one to our oak, patiently peck it open to remove the husk, and enjoy the treat. Once settled, they leisurely preen themselves, and challenge competitors.

Hermit Thrush

Birds welcome our baths even in winter. An all-year Blue Jay bravely takes a splashy bath, to fend off dreariness? A migrant Hermit Thrush perches during a drizzle, not perturbed by rain falling gently in the bath, watches all around, calls twice, sips once, and eventually flies away. Dark-eyed Juncos forage for bugs under our shrubs. Birds love our oaks that house insects and produce acorns.

Pine Siskin

Backyard birds kept us company during the pandemic’s winter freeze. It started with icy rain which lasted longer than the usual day or two. Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, and fluttering Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets explored our icy trees in the chilly air. More snow fell, and we were homebound and disconnected without power and heat for a couple of days, camping inside our home, and preserving food outside. First sights of Hairy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, and Cedar Waxwing brought cheer. Birds perched nonchalantly on ice and snow-coated trees. Carolina Wren foraged in oak trunks, Pine Siskin in the nook near our snow-covered patio. Our gnarly oak’s ice and snow laden branches drooped low to appear like shrubs near which Northern Cardinals explored the snow. Overall, we were far luckier than others who unfortunately experienced prolonged hardship.

Northern Cardinal

Birds migrate long distances, and need habitats to survive, both along the way and where they winter. Backyards welcoming birds create a bird friendly neighborhood. Parks also serve as a refuge for birds. These habitats make “birding away winter” a delightful experience.

By Jaya Ramanathan. Reviewed by Sarita Yeola.

Photos courtesy of Jaya Ramanathan.