Sunday, 2-10-2013, we had a blizzard--finally--in eastern North Dakota. Well, I would call it only a snowstorm. It was well above zero and there was no time I couldn't see at least a quarter mile. What I would call a blizzard is when it's at least 10 below zero and a 40mph constant wind. That's when one can't see even fifty feet, in other words, can't see the barn from the house, so if you go out in it you better be able to walk in a straight line. Either that or have a rope strung between the house and the barn. Anyway, the weather-people decided to call it a blizzard. Maybe if a worse one they'd call it a severe blizzard. Whatever, it's the first one this year, and I think many folks would have been disappointed if we wouldn't have gotten at least one this winter, the kids especially--No school! Yaaay!
The photos that follow are not of the blizzard, but what goes on daily out at the feeders. Sorry the photos aren't better, but it's through the window, plus I'm trying to be discreet, as just one little movement and everything is gone. (The rabbits and squirrels are brave--but the birds?--Zoom!)
I didn't have to go anywhere that day, thank goodness. Don't get me wrong, it was bad. Anyone out on the road would have been foolhardy to keep trying to get somewhere. Best to just stop and hunker down. Compared to what New York and other places just went through (February 2013) North Dakota was pretty lucky.
So, that snowy day, I decided to do some planting, and set up the table where I could watch the activity outside, and there was plenty. The feeding station has seven feeders filled variously with black oil sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, white millet, and thistle (niger.) The birds come by the flock and they all come at once, so most have to be satisfied eating on the ground. About twenty goldfinches, thirty red-polls, six blue jays maybe six chickadees four white-breasted nuthatches, plus other species during migration. Only the Goldfinches and Red Polls all come at once. The others swoop in whenever. I like the chickadees the most; they swoop in, grab a seed and zoom away again. I don't think they appreciate all the other activity.
There's also woodpeckers. I'm not sure on the numbers. I've seen two hairy woodpeckers at once, three downy woodpeckers, and one red-bellied woodpecker. I have yet to see the becoming rare red-headed woodpecker, and the pileated woodpecker just flies through, thank goodness, because that bird is big enough to eat one feeder by itself. Over the years I've seen one wild turkey and one pheasant.
Then of course there's a few mammals that come. At one time I've seen four Cottontail rabbits and four Fox Squirrels, an occasional shrew or vole (sorry, I'm not quick enough to identify but likely a vole, which continues partying under the snow all winter) and also the occasional raccoon and badger.
I tried to feed the turkeys one year with corn cobs impaled on a spike, three of them. What I attracted was a deer, and then there were five of them. Sorry, a deer gets to be a mite expensive to feed. Fun to watch, though, as the old buck will eat first and make the doe and half-grown fawns wait. Anyway, I didn't feed them long, and never did attract a turkey.
I feed year round. Most birds stop coming in summer except for the Goldfinches; strangely, for a time in the later part of summer they stop coming too, but then they reappear. I read somewhere that they disappear to raise a family, and live off nature for awhile...and then they bring all their prodigy back to live off "me."
At migration in spring and fall, there's several species of native sparrows, juncos, in spring indigo buntings and rose-breasted grosbeaks. In summer Baltimore orioles come to the oranges, but you better get the oranges out at the right time. I've heard that the male oriole first goes to the orange because the bright orange color appears as another competing male and then he discovers the sweetness and stays.
Back to the seeds; I planted fifty-four varieties that day. Many perennials and herbs have a viciously-long growing season. Then there are tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, that you simply want to get in early so that you can eat them early in the season. In order to get those gorgeous vegies to June fairs I suspect people plant watermelons, etc., already in December, and then transplant to bigger and bigger pots and hand-pollinate the blooms. I'll be trying that this year, but in March rather than waiting til April. Just not enough room for all that growth, but I'll still gain a month.
Anyway, that day went by. From the safety of my house I watched the blizzard outside and the birds, rabbits and squirrels. The birds acted like they enjoyed the weather, and the rabbits quite often would chase each other. The squirrels? They just kept eating. Humorous how when one squirrel is eating at the best spot, if another squirrel (or rabbit) starts getting too close, the first one will look up and give "the stare," and sometimes will chase the intruding squirrel away. The rabbit usually backs down. Strange, too, as the rabbit, I think, with long claws on all four feet, has the best fighting tools. Rabbits, too, will give "the stare" if another gets too close (about three and one half feet seems to be the limit) if closer they will bluster, not fight, and sometimes jump three feet into the air.
One last photo.
Thanks for reading
The photos that follow are not of the blizzard, but what goes on daily out at the feeders. Sorry the photos aren't better, but it's through the window, plus I'm trying to be discreet, as just one little movement and everything is gone. (The rabbits and squirrels are brave--but the birds?--Zoom!)
 |
| A Fox Squirrel sharing with the Red Polls and goldfinches. The small birds have 7 feeders (at least 30 perches) above them but they all can't eat at once, and they always come by the flock, so many have to go to the ground. Earlier in the season the closest the birds would get is 3-4 feet. Now, either the squirrel has gotten more liberal or the birds have gotten braver. |
So, that snowy day, I decided to do some planting, and set up the table where I could watch the activity outside, and there was plenty. The feeding station has seven feeders filled variously with black oil sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, white millet, and thistle (niger.) The birds come by the flock and they all come at once, so most have to be satisfied eating on the ground. About twenty goldfinches, thirty red-polls, six blue jays maybe six chickadees four white-breasted nuthatches, plus other species during migration. Only the Goldfinches and Red Polls all come at once. The others swoop in whenever. I like the chickadees the most; they swoop in, grab a seed and zoom away again. I don't think they appreciate all the other activity.
 |
| Two Cottontails and a Fox Squirrel; the squirrel is about to give "the stare." I think that's a Hairy Woodpecker in the upper right. I didn't see it when I was getting the photo. |
Then of course there's a few mammals that come. At one time I've seen four Cottontail rabbits and four Fox Squirrels, an occasional shrew or vole (sorry, I'm not quick enough to identify but likely a vole, which continues partying under the snow all winter) and also the occasional raccoon and badger.
 |
| Three Fox Squirrels feeding on the ground beneath the 7 feeders hanging just out of their reach. Notice the Red Poll keeping its distance. |
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| Three Blue Jays on the ground beneath the feeders, which are the size that they can't cling to. Blue Jays are accused of being "bully birds" although I have never seen them be mean. (I suspect the rumors are true, though.) They simply arrive and the smaller birds leave. |
At migration in spring and fall, there's several species of native sparrows, juncos, in spring indigo buntings and rose-breasted grosbeaks. In summer Baltimore orioles come to the oranges, but you better get the oranges out at the right time. I've heard that the male oriole first goes to the orange because the bright orange color appears as another competing male and then he discovers the sweetness and stays.
 |
| Two Blue Jays at the one ground feeder, where I normally put only corn. Cottontails and squirrels come here too. I know, they all would rather have black oil sunflower seed, but corn is better than nothing. I had to fence to keep the deer out. |
One last photo.
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| We have two shrike species, the Loggerhead Shrike, a summer resident, and the Northern Shrike (in the photo.) It's about the size of a robin, is a mini-predator, drops down from the north in the winter, I guess for better hunting, as its prey is smaller birds. I've seen it in action twice. The first time was a Red Poll on the ground, which I think went into shock, as it was easy picking. The second time, the shrike was chasing a bird about two and a half feet behind, they went into a dead end, made a U-turn, came streaking back, then headed for taller trees. I don't know what happened but suspect the shrike got its meal. Should I dispatch the shrike for eating my small birds? No, because that is how nature works, folks. |
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