Winter Park

Spending time outdoors in the winter on the upper plains can be challenging. Our recent snow accumulation of over twelve inches gave the ground a cozy coating of the white stuff. Freezing fog added to the mix last week and created dangerously treacherous streets and sidewalks. A nasty fall stepping off my front deck reminded me to walk like a penguin or, better yet, skip the morning trek outdoors. (Fortunately, I have enough backside padding so the fall was not a hip-breaker.)

My favorite birding park does have one trail that gets plowed in the winter so I have been spending some time there chasing the little tweet-tweets. Here are a few scenes.

Not much action at the picnic bench overlooking one of the quarry ponds. Gray-toned juncos enjoy flitting about on the ground with their little buddies. Sometimes they hang on to dried weed stems and pick at the seeds. The resourcefulness of birds never ceases to amaze me.

I cannot stop myself from exploring the non-plowed areas which means I will be post-holing in the snow. Some drifted areas are about knee deep so it can be quite the workout. The good news is that a fall has minimal impact with a cushion of snowy fluffiness, speaking for a friend.

Pro tip: If you have been post-holing a bit too long in deep snow, you may develop a blister or two on the back of your heels. This product is a sure fix. And it is clear so you can keep your runway job, if necessary.

This is one of my favorite clumps of trees. Little flocks of American tree sparrows like hanging out here. Cooper's hawks, red-tailed hawks and sharp-shinned hawks also make an appearance when they are looking for a little bird buffet. Pass the salt, please.

Lots of critters share the park with me. I am not sure which mammal is dropping these glossy treasures along the trail but he appears to be well fed.

Perhaps this is a print of said critter. Or just a dog, out and about. The critter I am most cautious with is the owner of the boot print. Mea culpa.

Little by little our recent heat wave is melting more of the snow on the trails. The cedar trees are a perfect home for cardinals, chickadees and, of course, more juncos. In late December there were a couple of chubby fox sparrows who did not get the migration memo and were hanging around the cedars. I hope they made it to their winter home before the weather turned too foul.

I am afraid it will be a while before I am able to take this trail. Downy woodpeckers and their close cousins, hairy woodpeckers, like to hang out here. Fortunately, I can still hear their sharp chip-chips as they move around in the trees.

Sometimes, the price you pay for winter birding is a lost glove. I was able to recover this one without too much backtracking. Winter gear can be a full time job.

I like to end my hike with a few moments on the wonky bench. The granite surface is as cold as heck and the trail up to the bench is through a big drift but the view is worth it. This is the only quarry pond that has a bubbler so a portion of the water stays open for the ducks and geese. Mallards and Canadian geese love to paddle around in the pond and take naps in the sun.

Sometimes they play follow-the-leader and waddle their way to shore. Much honking and wonking keeps everyone aware of their presence.

The panoramic views at the park never get old, no matter the season. The birds may be a bit sparse this time of year but that makes every sighting a bit more rewarding. Be it a house sparrow or a bald eagle, each one is a gift.

Hope you are able to enjoy a few of nature's winter gifts. And if they have feathers, grab the binoculars.