Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Brrr ...irds in Winter

Early Morning in my Winter Gardens



We're living in a deep freeze. 


The days are frigidly cold and the nights are simply Siberian.












Fluffing Feathers




Occasionally the sun peeks through 
the gray winter clouds...













Beauty Berries




but not long enough to bring warmth to my frozen tundra.


  










Aren't Hydrangeas Divine when they Die?




"How does anything survive in your gardens?" 
my friends in the Tropics ask.


 


Well, simply said, the plants go dormant...











Fluffing Keeps Me Warm

 



but the birds...














Little Feet have a Protective Covering... Galoshes?






oh, those little birds...










I'm in Love with my Photographer



           When they're not posing for a photo shoot...







Busiest Spot in the Kingdom







they're singin' and a dancin'
to keep those little bodies warm!





















Do you feel guilty when your feeders are empty? No guilt needed. 
Birds feed mostly on natural foods, and know not to depend on just one source... 
even feeders that are always filled. 
Researchers found that Chickadees get less than 25% of their energy source from feeders. 
Of course, the down side to not keeping your feeders full is that the birds 
will take the party to your neighbor's feeders and you'll miss out on all the fun. 
If you refrain from deadheading your flowers in the fall, 
you'll have plenty of natural food to entice the birds to entertain you.


(Photos taken through my back door window.  It's much warmer on this side.)


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23 comments:

  1. It sure does look really cold there, hope your keeping warm, it's good to hear that your plants go into a dormant phase, of course you don't plant things that can't tolerate those sort of conditions, and the birds still hang around too. Don't they fly away to warmer areas for the winter?

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  2. Jen @ MuddybootdreamsJanuary 9, 2013 at 7:48 PM

    Carolynn, thanks for the bird info, we are feeding our birds constantly, making our own suet mix because we just couldn't keep up with the store bought stuff. They love the homemade more anyways.

    I certainly hope that it warms up for you...brrr temps that freeze nose hair are just too cold.

    Jen

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  3. I've been meditating on how the birds steal the winter show in my garden. They are as busy as can be and as delightful to watch! Mine are frolicking in much needed rain today - Praise God! The blue feeder against the snowy landscape is gorgeous! Stay warm, friend.

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  4. Donna@Gardens Eye ViewJanuary 9, 2013 at 7:48 PM

    My birds rely on natural sources but they are being depleted so I am adding suet this year and selfishly to keep them in the yard so we can visit. I never cut down the natural sources and the birds love it...we are due to for a temporary warm up this week so our four feet of snow is melting...in the 50s this weekend but I am sure it will not last!

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  5. They have my Crabapple almost stripped now. Any berries on shrubs is long gone. Went out a couple weeks ago to get shrub berry photos and they're weren't any left. Took a Crabapple photo and it's almost bare since then. The photo of the one by it's self is lovely.
    Cher

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  6. Aren't we just so thankful for these little creatures who bring light into the dark days of Winter?

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  7. Enjoy your heat wave Donna. Four feet is a lot of snow!

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  8. Truth be told... little birds steal the show in any season in my gardens. They always make me smile. So glad your gardens are getting rain, Cat. Maybe this new year will be kinder to your gardens. The blue feeder isn't really blue... but maybe it will get a fresh coat of paint this Spring. I really like it too! (Gotta love Photoshop.)

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  9. Looks are deceiving... it's beyond really cold... even when the sun peeks from behind the clouds. Many birds do fly south for the cold winter months, but thankfully some are wired to withstand the cold. Thankfully, because it would be a very long winter without them. Oh and we do plant flowers in the springtime that die when it freezes. Annuals bring a burst of color to our gardens that complement the hardy perennials.

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  10. Carolyn, we're in same winter, a lot of snow. Your dreamy garden is nice, quiet and peaceful. Thank you for dropping by my northern garden!
    Nadezda
    http://northern-garden.blogspot.com/

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  11. I love that turquoise feeder. So picturesque in the garden.

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  12. Carolyn- I have just loaded your BEAUTIFUL blog in place for my Grow Your Blog party! I look forward to reading your special post on the day of the party. I hope you make lots of new friends!
    Vicki

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  13. The color does make the picture pop a bit.

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  14. Thanks, Vicki! So many new blogs to visit!

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  15. Your photos are incredible! Mine rarely look that good even when I'm outside and am trying hard! You're a talented photographer. :) I love seeing the garden covered with snow. Winter has been too warm again here. I'd love some of your cold and snow.

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  16. I love your blue bird feeder; it is especially lovely with the snowy background. Your snow is lovely, but my teeth are chattering just looking at it!

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  17. Funny, Deb. It's much warmer on THIS side of the window. :)

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  18. Tammy, thank you for visiting... and I'd love to give you some of our cold and snow! Where can I send it to? :) Seriously, consider leaving a link so that I may return the visit next time.

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  19. I love the bright blue of your feeder - so cheerful! I love feeding the birds during the winter. Not that they need it here so far, though, as we are still waiting for winter weather to find us!

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  20. Love your blue feeder - the birds feast in style! Yes, I do feel guilty when feeder is empty, especially when the snow covers good sources. But even more guilty when the mallard ducks start honking that we've forgotten their corn!

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  21. Très belle scène de jardin avec tous ces oiseaux. Au plaisir.

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Your comments are the sweet nectar that keeps me posting.
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