Once again there isn't much bird news to write about. Well, there was a White-throated Sparrow in our backyard yesterday – that was pretty neat. I read that some areas in southern Wisconsin got as much as 20 inches of snow. Eagle Optics, like many other area businesses, closed early. Apparently, some 500 motorists were stranded on I90 for over 10 hours, so Governor Doyle called up the National Guard to help.
I brought the bird feeders inside the garage last night and used a screen as a sifter to separate the snow from the birdseed. I do this so the seed doesn't spoil from excessive moisture. Plus, I like to think the birds appreciate not having to poke through snow in order to get at the food. My next chance to go birding won't be until Sunday and right now the forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies, which means the temperatures will plummet into single digits.
I don't work until 10:00 a.m. today, but our driveway is buried (again) with large snow drifts. As much as I would like to go snowshoeing at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, there just won't be time. With this winter being one for the record books for seasonal snowfall, this is pretty much how it's been – few opportunities to get out there. Ah, it'll just make spring that much more enjoyable! Well, that's what I have to keep telling myself, anyway.
White-throated Sparrow © 2008 Mike McDowell
