Even though the temperature is 25 degrees and most of the limbs are
covered with 4-6 inches of snow and weighed down low, there was a Ruffed
Grouse here in the Hazelnut Tree for 15 minutes this afternoon. He sat
on the end of a limb until a doe walked down the trail past him (eating
the leaves that had fallen on top of the snow). Then the Grouse walked
into the tree--right up the limbs with the deepest snow and jerked
something off the tree (a nut, I assume). I wondered if he had been
sitting there, trying to decide if it was worth it, and the doe dared
him. Afterwards, he flew under a nearby Hemlock tree whose lower
branches are weighed down with snow to touch the ground also. Maybe he
went to get warm, not much snow under there.

The deep snow brought many times more birds to the nut tree and the
feeders than usual--seven Spotted Towhee at once time (whereas I usually
see only two or three), larger flocks of Juncos, many chickadees, some
Stellars, Flickers, and Fox and Song sparrows (and maybe a
White-crowned--just a fleeting glimpse)...mostly regulars, just more of
them.

Also, for the first time, I saw birds on the Cosmos plant that is close
to the house where it is protected from the wind. I let it go to seed
for the birds all summer, but never saw any of them go near it.

I've broken the ice in the bird bath several times in the last few days,
but this morning, I could only get a little hole open, so I scattered
sunflower seeds over the rest of it even though I thought it might be
too cold, but the birds (and gray squirrel) have stopped to eat it.
Also took a small log from my wood supply and made a stump out of it by
the bird bath and put seeds on it. A Varied Thrush monopolized that for
extended period of times. He had his feathers fluffed out so far, he
looked like he'd swallowed a baseball.

Darlene
Cinebar
Lewis County