The Winter Birds

Christmas is almost here...but the birds don't watch the calendar. They are in survival mode...always searching for food, be it seeds from dried plants left in the garden, or bird feeders in our neighborhood. They are constant visitors to our feeders. I am sometimes lazy about filling the feeders. I guess that I am just nice and warm in the house and hate to go out to fill them. As I age, I find that I am chilly a lot of the time. I have to laugh at my Christmas list for Joe. I asked for Cuddle Duds (a brand name for thin long underwear for women) These are so nice to wear under clothing.....they are thin enough that clothes slip on easily. In the warm months my outdoor wear is mostly jeans, t shirts, my denim jacket, and tennis shoes. Winter wear is so different. Coats, woolen scarves, fingerless mittens, boots, and knitted hats. No fashion plate....I am a character in the neighborhood :) Well, getting back to the birds. Joe placed a small galvanized can behind the tall evergreen by the front porch. If we get a lot of snow, I can just take a few steps to the can and fill the feeder. The deck feeders....the same. The main can is in the garage. I hope this works this winter. I can barely eat my breakfast if a hungry little bird is looking at me. I especially love the winter birds. They stay through thick and thin and entertain me with their antics. The blue jay coming for a peanut, the tufted titmouse with his precious call... to let me know he's here, the cardinals...chickadees and nut hatches all make an appearance.....and then there is the junco who makes his appearance only in the winter. Why does this bird love the cold? He's a favorite, because he cleans up the deck under the feeder. I do let my shelf feeders get empty...that way there is not much waste on the deck or ground.

We are celebrating Christmas tomorrow with my side of the family, so I have been busy this morning with the presents. Making sure I have them all and putting them in big cartons for the car. It looks like the weather will cooperate this year. We will see our grand daughter and family from N Carolina and daughter from DC along with all the locals. It should be a fun day tomorrow.

So, on this misty moisty morning, I will make a trip out to the feeder. I'll get into my winter get up and face the cold to feed my friends. I wish Christmas would hurry....I need those Cuddle Duds.

Balisha

Before I go out I have to say that I forgot Joe's favorite birds...the woodpeckers. The suet feeder is a favorite for them. We have downy, hairy, and red bellied woodpeckers. They need a new suet block too.