COLUMN: Contrasts in the snow… another bird show

Published 5:21 pm Wednesday, January 29, 2025

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By Susan and Biff Andrews
Your Turn

Snow Storm

“Winter is come in earnest and the snow

In dazzling splendour – crumpling underfoot

Spreads a white world all calm and where we go

By hedge or wood trees shine from top to root

In feathered foliage flashing light and shade

Of strangest contrast…”

John Clare (1793-1864)

There is very little more striking then the red of a Cardinal in snowy surroundings. We look forward to it whenever it snows and were not disappointed in the latest snow event. It is a classic scene on cards and in nature magazines; the Cardinal among the evergreens on a snowy day.  

Blue Jays, in my opinion, are the Cardinals equal not with the stark contrast of the red against the white, but with grays, whites, and vibrant blues that echo the hues of the sky, the snow, and ice all around.  To use John Clare’s words…”Flashing light and shade”… they are every bit as regal with their black crests and long sleek feathers.  They are a big, bold, raucous lot and no end of entertainment to watch. 

Every morning when I go out on my deck I have the curious feeling I’m the one being watched. In the still of these cold crisp winter mornings, while the lazy squirrels are still snuggled in their nests,  I hear the “all call” go out among the tree tops that breakfast is being served.   The Blue Jays start sending out the message as soon as the back door slides open and they descend en masse upon the feast. Blue Jays are very smart birds.  They communicate with vocalization and body language.  They have a large vocabulary of squawks and calls and can mimic calls of hawks to temporarily frighten other birds away from feeders.   Maybe I’m just predictable and they expect me at the usual time, but I’m sure they are watching me. 

I know this sounds nuts… and that is just the thing they are waiting for. We have a lot of nut loving birds because we live under nut bearing hardwood trees. Blue Jays like to live in areas that have oak trees; acorns are one of their mainstays.  They are credited with planting many oak trees. Blue Jays and Cardinals are among numerous birds that come to our buffet including the feisty Tufted Titmice, Nut Hatches, Red-bellied woodpeckers and many little birds that come for the crumbs the big guys leave.  

Besides their native diet of acorns, Blue Jays love peanuts in the shell.  So do the Red Bellies, and the Squirrels.  It is a race to the finish to get those first. Then they go for the shelled nuts.  We counted as the record holder a Blue Jay who put six nuts down his gullet (Gular pouch) and one large nut in the shell in the beak before flying off to cache his prize.  Blue Jays are very smart birds.    

We also saw a Blue Jay stalking the Red-bellied woodpecker to his “hideyhole” up in the beech tree, obviously  planning a future looting opportunity.  It does get a little greedy around  here…but all in all it is a peaceable kingdom among the birds and the squirrels at the breakfast bar. 

And we get so much entertainment for peanuts…!