Naturally

 I whistled while I walked.
 Or it might have been caused by my breathing through the icicles that had formed in my nostrils.
 It was below zero as I tiptoed through the little remaining snow. There was a slight breeze that enhanced the winter experience for me. The weather folks used to toss out the term “windchill factor” to make us feel more uncomfortable in our minds than we were in our bodies. They don’t use that phrase much anymore, and I don’t miss hearing it. It brings back painful and cold memories. It’s true the weather doesn’t always agree with me, but it isn’t the weather’s job to agree with me.
 Canada geese flew over, sounding as if they were playing vuvuzelas. Other birds joined me on the raw January day. I heard no complaints from any of them, and I marveled at every feather I saw. Birds dare to be great. They need to be great in order to survive. I watched chickadees and blue jays cache seeds for the next day. Their preparations reminded me of “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” one of Aesop's Fables. That fable describes how a hungry grasshopper begged for food from an ant when winter came. The ant refused to share. The tale sums up moral lessons about the virtues of hard work and planning for the future. I’ve seen the food storage behavior often with those two, as well as done by nuthatches and squirrels. No matter. I love being surprised by the things I expect to see. This leaves me in a perpetual state of astonishment. It’s a wonderful state to be in.
 Back in the house, where there was a minor windchill factor, the bird clock did the call of the eastern screech-owl because it was 9 o’clock. Life was good.

Q&A

 This is a slightly edited version of what Mike Rucker of Lake Wilson had sent, “I have a bird feeder question for you. I picked up a new bird feeder and filled it two months ago. Not one bird has touched it yet, not even a sparrow, and we have hundreds of them. And you know sparrows, they're smart and opportunists when it comes to food. But no, they haven't touched it either. We don't have any finches, I think maybe they would use it. The old feeder is empty every other day, the new feeder has never been touched. Just curious to see what you think.” I advise everyone to give a new feeder 3-4 weeks to allow the feeder birds time to adjust to a new feeder, but your patience has far exceeded that. There can be several reasons for the new feeder being shunned: A lack of appealing food, a feeder with moldy seed, a blockage that restricts any food from being released, a poorly placed feeder exposed to predators, an abundance of natural food sources, or a change in the local bird population. Essentially, the birds might not find the feeder safe, accessible, or offering food they like. Because the other feeder is being patronized, I’d suspect the seed is the problem. Any seed that has gotten wet is no longer a draw. If there is any moldy smell, wash the feeder and replace the seed. Until the birds become accustomed to it, place only a small amount of seed in the feeder and change it regularly so it remains fresh. That amount can be increased once the feeder builds a regular clientele. You might try black-oil sunflower seeds if the feeder ports will accommodate them. The birds we like to see find that food enticing. I hope the feeder becomes a flourishing eatery. 
 “How many litters does a rabbit have each year?” An eastern cottontail rabbit has a home range of 5 acres or fewer and gives birth to three or four litters annually with four to six kits in each litter.
 “Do spiders often bite people, and do I really swallow eight spiders a year while I sleep?” Spiders don’t waste their time biting us. Unless threatened, such a hostile reaction would be pointless. A study found that of Southern California patients seeking medical treatment for spider bites, only 3.8% had actual spider bites. What are the chances of an eight-legged arachnid crawling across your pillow and jumping into your mouth while you sleep is unlikely. Spiders want nothing to do with us. Our open, moist mouths are unappealing to spiders. Snoring would frighten them away. The chances of you chowing down on spiders while you’re sleeping are like winning the lottery.  

Thanks for stopping by

 “Stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.”—Leo Tolstoy.
 “It doesn’t have to be the blue iris, it could be weeds in a vacant lot, or a few small stones; just pay attention.”—Mary Oliver.
 Do good.

©Al Batt 2025

How do birds survive winter? They fluff up their feathers, trapping warm air between the feathers to create insulation. Birds could seek shelter in cavities, under the eaves of houses, on the protected sides of trees or in brush piles. Some eat more high-fat food to maintain their metabolism or lower their body temperature to save energy. Photo by Al Batt.