By Jaya Ramanathan
Winter brings us cold and dreary days, with a couple of freezes as well. Luckily, migrant birds join all-year residents to double our birding fun. Variation in what we observe, sustains our interest, which in turn has rewarded us with some rare sights over the years. I am sharing here such winter delights.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet in air, at Freeman Park.
Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, are named as such because males have a colorful crown. However, it is hard to spot the crown of the constantly moving Kinglets. So it is exciting to photograph their crown, and their movement in air.
Cedar Waxwing Flock.
Cedar Waxwing, loves to party, and is typically seen as a big flock. Their distinct, subdued crest helps us identify them from afar, even when they all perch on a leafless tree at a distance. Just once, we spotted several on our patio tree, and enjoyed their beauty in close proximity.
Dark-eyed Junco snacks on elm acorn.
Dark-eyed Junco, typically forages in shrubs, or scans oaks, looking for bugs. Seeing a few snack on elm’s acorns, one morning, was a rare sight. We have never seen it at seed feeder or baths. On the other hand, Chipping Sparrows crowd at seed feeder, typically feeding together peacefully. Once a belligerent one chased others away so it can have the feeder to itself. Another time, Bewick Wren chased away all Chipping Sparrows from feeder, but flew off without feeding – was it just being playful?
Yellow-rumped Warbler takes a splashy bath, Pine Warbler explores oak.
Warblers are exciting to spot in winter, as we mostly see them during migration. Pine Warbler cheered us up by visiting our seed feeder on Bomb Cyclone day. One revisited our patio oak on a sunny day. Yellow-rumped Warbler surprised us one winter by taking a splashy bath.
Red-breasted Nuthatch explores oak during freeze.
Some migrants visit us just one winter, leaving us reminiscing about them during subsequent years. I miss how Red-breasted Nuthatch stylishly flipped a seed and caught it, within its beak, also nonchalantly hung upside down, pecking our patio oak, while freezing rain fell. Rusty Blackbird foraged, just one afternoon, in our backyard grass. We spotted Brown Creeper only one winter.
Black-crested Titmouse and American Goldfinch at bath.
Not to be left behind, all-year resident birds too display rare winter behavior. Braving cold, Black-crested Titmouse takes a bath, while American Goldfinch patiently waits to sip – did they converse? Northern Mockingbird plays hide and seek within a dense holly shrub.
Northern Mockingbird plays hide and seek in holly shrub.
Early in winter, we are delighted by the changing colors of Red Oaks and Crepe Myrtles. A weed creeper colorfully drapes oak. Last few migrating butterflies feed on Lantanas. Soon after, leaves fall, and after freeze, most trees and shrubs turn barren, except Live Oaks.
Painted Lady and Red Admiral Butterflies at Lantanas, Weed creeper colorfully drapes oak.
The last month of winter, seed feeders empty faster, with wintering birds fortifying themselves for their migration up north. Red-tailed Hawk perches on leafless elm for a while, our first ever sighting of it in our backyard. A brave Carolina Chickadee enjoys two consecutive baths, signaling warmer weather will be here soon. I step outdoors, and hear many birds call. They invite me to listen and look out for more such delights, before spring arrives.
Red-tailed Hawk on a leafless elm.
All Photos by Jaya Ramanathan.
