Snow Birds in the First Snow
I really do love winter
I know a lot of people whose ideal winter consists of one pretty snow then balmy days til spring. I love winter, though, even if I need to lug a coat around. Taking long hikes without stopping to cool down, studying the structure and bark patterns of the bare trees, and even coming in early in the evenings are all things I enjoy this time of year. Not to mention, it’s been months since my last tick bite.
This week really feels like winter, the biting kind you can’t get away from. It was 9 degrees early this morning, and it won’t warm very much as the day goes on. We got the year’s first inch and a half of snow last night, piled on top of frozen puddles from last week’s downpours. Sledding early today was slick and fast, and two pairs of pants only kept out the cold for about a half an hour.
Now, we’re inside until our snow gear dries out for a second round. As our pants and gloves are dried by the fire, we watch out the window. We set a bird feeder a few weeks ago, and now that its location is well-known, it’s become a very popular spot.
There have been a couple types of finches, a handful of bright cardinals, and dozens of snow birds. Watching them every day has been so much fun, but it’s even better in the snow. The snow birds, dark-eyed juncos, are one of the most populous birds in North America, but every time I see one feels a little magical.
It must come from the delight of learning to identify birds in my grandparents’ kitchen, holding a guidebook in my lap while I waited on a bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. I always took the appearance of a snow bird as a sure sign that snow was on its way. I was a kid that longed to stay home from school, no matter the season, and I was quick to predict inches and inches of snow and impassable roadways.
Those snow birds, fluffy and pudgy, are a little smudge of hope for a big kid who still wants to play as much as possible. If it’s cold where you are, I hope the weather has made you smile too.