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You are here: Home / Birds / The Birds Enjoying a Sunny Day After the Big Snowstorm

The Birds Enjoying a Sunny Day After the Big Snowstorm

January 13, 2019 1 Comment

We had our first big snowstorm of the year a couple of days ago. The day before it snowed, we received a bit of rain and then the temperatures had fallen well below freezing. The ice has allowed for the snow to remain on the tree branches, allowing for beautiful winter photography. Perhaps this hasn’t been so great for the birds though. Or has it? Have you ever wondered how the birds survive harsh winters? No worries, Mother Nature has this taken care of. The birds are very good at prepping for our winters, especially here in New England. Birds are experts at finding shelter, acquiring and storing food and their bodies have evolved to withstand harsh weather as well.

Birds will use thick and dense vegetation for shelter. We have plenty of thick pines here in Maine that provide excellent shelter for the birds. Many bird species take advantage of dead or downed deciduous and evergreen trees for protection. Birds will also nest in cavities that provide protection from the harsh elements. Bird species that are well-known cavity-nesters include black-capped chickadees, downy woodpeckers and white-breasted nuthatches.

During the months prior to the cold weather setting in, birds will begin to store fat. Of the bird species that I have mentioned above, these birds also have strategies for hoarding and storing food for the winter. These birds will store hundreds, or even thousands of seeds each year. Even more remarkably, these birds remember their food hiding places.

Birds have also evolved to withstand the harsh elements. Their feathers provide an excellent buffer from the wind, rain and snow. In regards to their legs and feet, birds also have a counter-current heat exchange system. This means that the blood vessels going to and from their feet are very close together, so blood flowing back to the body is warmed by blood flowing to the feet. Most birds will also not succumb to frostbite, because there is so little fluid in the cells of their feet. Their feet are mostly made up of tendons and bones with little muscle or nerve tissue.

During prolonged bad weather conditions, I’m sure these survival tactics are put to the test. I also believe nature can be resilient in these matters. Birds are experts at preparing and then hunkering down in bad weather. After the storm is over and the sun is shining the birds are back to their usual behavior. The following photographs are of a few of the birds on the property enjoying yet another day of sunshine here in Maine. These birds also don’t go without, I provide them with plenty of seed and suet to help them get through the winter.


Downy Woodpecker
(f/6, 1/500 second, ISO 200, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

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Black Capped Chickadee Perching
(f/5.6, 1/500 second, ISO 160, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

White Breasted Nuthatch With Ice On The Branches
(f/6.3, 1/500 second, ISO 200, 55-250 @ 55mm)

White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

A Black Capped Chickadee Perching In A White Pine Tree
(f/6.3, 1/500 second, ISO 500, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Black-capped chickadee

A White Breasted Nuthatch Hanging
(f/6, 1/500 second, ISO 250, 55-250 @ 55mm)

White-breasted nuthatch


Black Capped Chickadee Looking Down
(f/6.3, 1/500 second, ISO 250, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Black-capped chickadee

Black Capped Chickadee In The Snow And Ice
(f/6.3, 1/500 second, ISO 160, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Black-capped chickadee

Black-Capped Chickadee Perching In Snow
(f/7.1, 1/500 second, ISO 100, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Black-capped chickadee

Black Capped Chickadee Side Profile
(f/6, 1/500 second, ISO 100, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Black-capped chickadee

Black Capped Chickadee In Soft Lighting
(f/6, 1/500 second, ISO 250, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Black-capped chickadee


Male Downy Woodpecker
(f/5.6, 1/500 second, ISO 250, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Downy woodpecker

A White Breasted Nuthatch Side View
(f/6.3, 1/500 second, ISO 400, 55-250 @ 55mm)

White-breasted nuthatch

A Perching Black Capped Chickadee
(f/6.3, 1/500 second, ISO 400, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Black-capped chickadee

A Black Capped Chickadee Looking Down
(f/5.6, 1/500 second, ISO 160, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Black-capped chickadee

A Male Downy Woodpecker Perching On A Branch
(f/6.3, 1/500 second, ISO 160, 55-250 @ 55mm)

Downy woodpecker


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A Side View Of A White Breasted Nuthatch
(f/5.6, 1/500 second, ISO 400, 55-250 @ 55mm)

White-breasted nuthatch

Related posts:

  1. October in Maine: What Types of Birds Can I Expect to See?
  2. How to Attract Black-capped Chickadees with a Variety of Foods
  3. Welcoming My Bird Visitors for the New Year
  4. Winter Avian Visitors
  5. Photographing Wildlife in Soft Lighting

Filed Under: Birds

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  1. Birdwatching After the Storm says:
    April 30, 2020 at 7:35 pm

    […] for a loop. Luckily, with the temperatures increasing and becoming milder the following day, the snow had melted rather quickly and things were back on […]

    Reply

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