It’s a cold week in Minnesota–single digits and teens with below zero wind chills. When I go outside, I put boots on over Smart Wool socks, pull my fleece neck gaiter over my head, put on a wool stocking cap with one of those ear muff things over that to keep the wind out of my ears, pull on a double-layer Columbia coat (over a fleece pullover), and slip my hands into leather mittens with sheep wool lining–and that’s just to walk the dog! Staying warm in the biting cold is a challenge for man and beast–and birds! Our resident red-bellied woodpecker with his bright red head and barred feathers found a place out of the wind on the maple tree.
He clutched the tree with his strong feet, used his tail feathers for an anchor, and fluffed up his feathers for added insulation. As the wind whipped around the tree, he would close his eyes.
And then he hunkered down–as well as a bird can while perching on the side of a tree.
I have seen birds preen this way, but he just tucked his head into his feathers–first one way, then the other. It was the perfect way for staying warm on a frigid, windy day.
Later that afternoon, I saw him fly to the feeder, grab a sunflower seed, take it back to the windless side of the tree to eat, then return to the feeder again and again. It takes nourishment to stay warm, too, especially from the fat in the black oil sunflower seeds.
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness,” writes John Steinbeck. Our Minnesota winter has been relatively mild this year compared to most others. And yet, I always marvel when the weather warms enough to go outside without a coat and with just a pair of flip-flops on my feet! We, along with the birds and animals, have our ways for staying warm. There is sweetness in coming back into the house for a cup of hot chocolate by the fireplace after trekking through the snow and cold on an invigorating hike. There is a quiet comfort in a warm, secure home, which is not a reality for some people. There is warmth in sharing a nourishing meal of soup and bread. And there is the sometimes taken-for-granted warmth of Love from our family members and friends, without which we would truly be out in the cold. How do you stay warm?
Denise, you must have been out in the cold for some time to capture so many good photos of that woodpecker. This may be the one time of the year I don’t envy your being out there sharing nature.
Kay, I’m lucky enough to have this right outside my window, so I could get the shots while staying warm!