Snowy news from our OG backyard. Paul Goldfinger 1/31/22.
Paul and Eileen and Stephen Goldfinger.
It was a heavy snowstorm at the Jersey Shore. We see our backyard as a naturalists’ laboratory. And the big snow storm causes our homespun scientists to pay attention.
Eileen and I have been bird watchers for many years. Before moving here we had a large backyard: open space backing up to the woods where a stream offered the necessary water for wildlife. We provided feeders, strategically placed to attract migrating birds, and we had quite a variety, including blue birds. red wing blackbirds, juncos, flickers and many more.
Our kids grew up having meals while gazing out the sliding glass door watching the winged creatures flying in for a snack.
Our aviary in the Grove is much smaller yet still interesting. Here we get a less exotic bird selection, but every once in a while there is a migrating surprise.
But now, with snow, we ramped up our feeding of black oil sunflower seeds for the birds, and suet for the woodpeckers.
Our son Stephen continues the care and feeding of wildlife when we are migrating south. Yesterday a hawk flew just over his head in pursuit of a tasty bird for dinner. Sometimes we find blood on the snow.
The fish in the pond do not require feeding in the winter. We have a couple of devices to keep the ice from preventing gases to escape, and the fish, being cold blooded creatures, hibernate and do not require feeding now.
The squirrels are an unavoidable nuisance. We have a squirrel-resistant feeder, but they hunt for seeds which fall to the ground.
The red metal sculpture is the “Etruscan Horse” by Jo Ubogy. Stop by in the spring and see her work.
Here is a link regarding that metal sculpture:
Taking care of animals seems like a sacred task. Stephen says that the plainest birds are just as beautiful as the most colorful. He doesn’t like our squirrel-proof feeders, so he throws some seed on the ground to let nature take its course.
AVA GARDNER from the 1951 movie Showboat:
Ava Gardner and Howard Keel. From the movie Showboat