Damn! Why do some birds come back so early? Now it's snowing on 'em

Yeaterday I awoke to the sweetest warbling, first time since November. I guess they know where to sit this one out. I'm in Maryland. Birds are smart, but most don't seem smart enough to find the warmest spots in the neighborhood. Cardinals showed up about 3 weeks ago in a snow storm, I imagine to show off their pretty red feathers against the white background, or just looking for a handout.

Hide, feathery friends!

as soon as the snow stops falling, please.

Redstone

even some under the eaves. No visitors yet though.

They move aroung a bit to keep up with consistently full feeders.

a little toward being able to just stay up north full time. In other words, they are probably so sick of the overwhelming amount of right wing preaching and bull from down south, that they couldn't take it any more. Now they just want to get outta there even if it means pecking away in the snow for seeds.
:P

Actually, cardinals winter over in a lot of snowy areas. Make sure they have plenty of seeds and reseed every time a new batch of snow covers the old seeds. Other birds, depending on where they winter over, may be trying to get away from the bad weather that seems to be happening everywhere right now. Also, sometimes, seeing lots of birds that you don't normally see this time of year may mean bad weather is coming your way. They, and other creatures like squirrels, are much better at weather predictions than meteorologists.

lol

Good explainin'. Bad weather, huh? It is all mixed up these days.

I'm in Western New York under muy schnee. But, I also have about 12 large seed-filled feeders going all the time. With 6 suet stations, too. I've been doing this for 12 years, ever since I bought this house, and I've got quite a bird sanctuary going. The Audobon Society comes out twice a year and does bird counts, too.

As for birds arriving too soon - I have pictures, somewhere, of a Hummingbird sitting on a tree branch with about a foot of snow on the ground. I had to race and put a feeder out for the little guy, but now I know they always start arriving the first week of May - and we still run the chance of getting a freak snow storm. Oh, yeah, the little Hummer was sitting on the branch of a Saucer Magnolia, which is planted inside the "L" created by a long hallway and my living room. This just happens to be the spot where the clothes dryer is vented, so I was runing the dryer just to add a little warmth to the spot. I hate to think what this added to my electrical bill (I'm too isolated to get gas heat).

running the dryer several times daily since he was bunked up under the bench where the outlet is.

Unfortunately, this year we're so flat that I can't put as many seed stations out like I have in the past. I remember even giving the squirrels a station because of the long cover of snow one year. And then there is the rabbit (s?) beside my fireplace inside of the makeshift bunker put together when I found him huddling behind some brush.

A bird decided one fall that all of this flying South stuff was a waste of time and energy so he stayed put while all of his friends headed South. However in December the temperature started dropping one night and he decided that maybe he had made a mistake so he quickly took off and headed South to join his feathered brethern. But alas he had only gone a few miles when he ran into heavy sleet and snow, his wings froze up and he plummeted to the ground, landing in a barnyard. With a sigh he closed his eyes and prepared to die. Just then a cow wandered by and deposited a large pile of dung on him, adding to his misery. But, what's this? The warmth of the poop started to thaw him out and he threw back his head and began to sing with the joy of new found life. A big old barn cat heard him, came over, dug him out of the dung and ate him.

This story has three morals.
"He who shits on you is not necessarily your enemy."
"He who digs you out of the shit is not necessarily your friend."
"If you are in the shit and are warm and happy, keep your mouth shut."

:+

That one was good. I wish there was an official jokes forum here. I hear some great stuff here.