A few nights ago, while I snuggled under the covers, the outside world was also being put under a cover — from freshly fallen snow.
The hummingbird feeder I had taken down to be out of the wind on the exposed deck, was no longer nestled among the branches that the birds used to love to sit on. (See the photo below). It had become a snow trap. Any bird venturing into the maze of bent down boughs might get a snow shower which, in the case of a tiny hummingbird, could be fatal. I had some work to do but I fixed up a place for the hummingbirds to feed safely.
The regular birdfeeders needed a place that was safe from the Steller’s jays who would gobble up the whole contents of the feeder. I had found a place in the branches of the filbert (hazelnut) tree. But then it snowed. Can you find the feeder to the left of the tree trunk and about four feet off the ground? The birds were happy to scratch up spilled seeds under the tree.
The Steller’s jay is quite the bully no matter where I put the seeds.
Pretty as the snow is, I worry about my poor little animals out there, scratching for enough food to keep warm and stay alive.
Last night the air was oh, so cold,
It chilled me to the bone,
My sparrow girlfriend, oh so bold,
Was shivering on her phone.
She called her snowbird friends last night,
They’d almost all flown south,
And she was wishing that they might
Have messaged her by mouth.
She’d gladly be in warmer climes,
While leaving me behind,
Their happy chirps melodic chimes,
As sunshine they did find.
But here in Lotus Land of North,
The snow moved in and covered us,
To find some food we must go forth,
Lest heavy branches smother us.
The hedge and shrubs have been a boon
But still we have to eat
And battling jays from morn till noon
Is always quite a feat.
Those greedy birds take so much food,
They spill what they don’t need,
We have to fight the whole darn brood,
So we can get some feed.
My girlfriend had the right idea,
To call her friends who left,
But if she’d gone, I sadly fear,
I would have been bereft.
December 10, 2021 at 4:27 pm
It looks great, with the snow. 🙂 Do you still have hummingbirds? Ours have long gone, migrated to warmer climes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 10, 2021 at 11:34 pm
YES, we have three that come to the feeders here. I wish they had gone south.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 12, 2021 at 2:56 pm
Let’s keep our fingers crossed for them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 12, 2021 at 3:23 pm
Yes, we’ll do our best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 10, 2021 at 4:30 pm
Gorgeous photos, Anneli. What a cute poem!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 10, 2021 at 11:34 pm
Thanks, Jill. The Captain said it was silly to give the birds a smart phone, but I told him EVERYone has one nowadays (except me).
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 3:42 pm
Derek and my father don’t have one either! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 5:16 pm
Yay! Good for the holdouts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 6:19 pm
The only reason I switched was for the mapping…after getting lost in a very bad section of town during my early morning commute and a detour.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 7:12 pm
They have their place and it’s good for commuting, traveling, and emergencies.
LikeLike
December 10, 2021 at 5:08 pm
Keep up the good work, Anneli. They depend upon you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 10, 2021 at 11:33 pm
That’s what I’m afraid of!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 7:09 am
It is an important burden. I read a book about another woman who carried that burden in winter. I wish I remembered the name. It was excellent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 9:03 am
We have to take care and help them if we want to have these lovely creatures around to enrich our lives.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 10, 2021 at 5:34 pm
Beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 10, 2021 at 11:32 pm
Tnx, DK.
LikeLike
December 10, 2021 at 6:21 pm
Thank you for looking after our feathered and furred little friends. Lovely post, Anneli.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 10, 2021 at 11:32 pm
It’s the first thing I do every morning, Lynette. I feel like their mother!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 12:09 am
The snow looks so peacful and quiet. And your decorated tree is so pretty. I think all your birds make it over the winter as long as you feed them and it doesn´t get too cold. Thanks for the lovely post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 9:13 am
I hope you’re right and the birds can make it through.
LikeLike
December 11, 2021 at 2:20 am
WOW, dear Anneli, that looks great with the snow! The snow makes everything look so much more beautiful. Unfortunately, we live in an area were we have hardly any snow.
We have to protect our birdfeeders from the squirrels.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 9:08 am
That’s funny about the squirrels getting at the birdfeeders. Here it’s the other way around. I put out food for the squirrels and the birds come to steal it. (I also have birdfeeders out for the birds, but I guess the squirrels have so much to eat that they don’t bother with the feeders. They have all the filberts they stole off my trees, and many big fir trees with cones that they love, PLUS what I feed them – walnuts and sunflower seeds. We probably have the fattest squirrels in the world living right here in our yard.)
Have a great weekend, KB.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 9:26 am
Thanks, dear Anneli.
That’s fun to read, we love it that you have the fattest squirrels in the world. We have the fattest Blackbirds in the world. If they land on a tree-branch the branch nearly breaks off.
Wishing you a great weekend as well
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 9:32 am
LOL! 👌
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 8:00 am
It sure looks pretty but certainly tough on the birds. The jay is a handsome bird, too bad he’s a bully.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 9:04 am
So true. I don’t know how many times I have reminded myself that they’re hungry too, and they have a right to live just as the weaker birds do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 10:57 am
The snow is pretty, Anneli, but I also worry about the critters. We’re just rainy here, but we’re keeping everyone outside well fed. Cute poem too. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 11:37 am
Thanks, Diana. Even in the cold wind and rain, the birds and little animals can suffer if they don’t have enough shelter and food. We do what we can to help. Thanks for visiting. Pop over to annelisplace for lay/lie and sink/sank/sunk.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 11:43 am
Ha! I will.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 11, 2021 at 11:47 am
Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 13, 2021 at 4:17 am
It’s so beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 13, 2021 at 10:07 am
I agree, snow looks pretty, but it always makes me worry about the food for the animals being covered.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 14, 2021 at 4:25 pm
I think the animals are far more resourceful than we think.
LikeLiked by 2 people
December 14, 2021 at 7:35 pm
They must be, or they’d never survive a winter here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 15, 2021 at 4:44 am
🙂
LikeLike
December 16, 2021 at 7:07 pm
Love this Anneli.and beautiful photos.
LikeLike
December 16, 2021 at 9:11 pm
Thanks, Anita. Most of the snow is gone from our elevation but the hills are covered and we are expecting more flurries in the next day or so.
LikeLike
December 27, 2021 at 7:22 am
Anneli, your poetry was a delight to read. As I read the verses, your love of nature’s treasures comes shining through. As for winter in central Ohio, we will be waiting awhile.
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 27, 2021 at 12:31 pm
Thank you so much. They’re fun little ditties.
LikeLiked by 1 person