Maine Winter Birds

Maine is expected to get its first big snow storm of the season tomorrow and continuing into Saturday. Winter is almost here. It’s going to be a Nor’easter with 5 -12 inches possible. This is going to be a big difference from the first snowfall we experienced back on November 16th.

The first snow did not last very long. It accumulated overnight and was still snowing a few hours into the morning. Bigger storms would cause the birds to hide out until storm ended before trying to get to the feeder. However the light fluffy snow didn’t bother this chickadee one bit. The chickadee fluttered around happily selecting the perfect seeds.

Even though there was minimal accumulation, after only a few hours it was already turning into rain. Whatever remained of the snow on the ground and in the trees quickly melted. The rain clung to the tree branches like little reflective orbs highlighting this female goldfinch.

As the rain cleared, the wind started to pick up. This blue jay was looking particularly disheveled. We may not have had much snow yet, but there have been some cold, windy days. One of the biggest songbirds, the blue jays are always talkative at the feeders.

The clearing of the snow and rain show us that no matter how bad the storms get, sunny days are right around the corner. Sunny days mean more time for this female cardinal to lounge in the feeder. She has been doing this since late August. She will rest in the feeder for up to an hour at a time. The trend was started by a sparrow on a very hot day. The other birds don’t seem to mind one bit. They will just fly around her.

The tufted titmouse is almost as fast as the chickadee in the trees. I usually see them in pairs, like the chickadees, and they are almost always in constant motion. Hopping from branch to branch, they seem to dance around the tree until finding the perfect moment to dart in to the feeder. Then they are gone just as fast.

Hopefully these birds will weather tomorrow’s storm ok. They will have plenty of food in the feeder, and they will be very active in the morning leading up to the storm. As the weather worsens however, they will seek shelter in tree cavities until it passes.

Snowy days are good days to relax, and you can test your knowledge of these songbirds with this Winter Songbird Trivia Quiz: