Winter visitors

We have fewer garden visitors in the winter but those who remain through the cold weather are hardy and admirable. We and the cats like to sit by the large window overlooking the garden and watch them go about their business. It’s very relaxing to observe their antics.

We see a lot of male and female woodpeckers, downy, hairy and pileated. They like eating while hanging from a suet log feeder. We have collected the log feeders from different suppliers over the years. They are made of cedar, and the wood doesn’t rot. The bird suet is home-made in big batches. We just scoop it out from the container and fill the holes.

Nuthatches, cardinals, crows and pigeons come along too. Squirrels visit in great numbers, attracted by the regular supply of peanuts. There are lots of Eastern cottontail rabbits too, but they usually come at night. We have a heated birdbath, from which all creatures can enjoy a drink throughout the winter. In this short video you can observe closely a variety of recent visitors to our garden.

Wildlife is very different in the spring. In particular, we look forward to the return of the playful chipmunks, presently hibernating, and of the various song birds, currently on tour in the south.