Birding in Winter

Vernal equinox has arrived (March 20 this year), but we're still deep in snow and it keeps snowing recently. So I can say that we're still into winter birding. An extension of our winter birding, if I may add. Yes, even in winter, there are lots of birds  around here too,  many of them flock to the feeders that people maintain in their private yards.

bullfinches

However, hubby and I, as some of the advanced birders/photographers in our city, prefer to travel to the wild and search for the rare birds spotted by those who make the daily rounds in some local patches or biotopes for ornithological reports. These places include wide fields, frozen lakes and rivers, and old thick forests of conifers.

Since these places are mostly blanketed with layers of untouched snow, it's quite hard to get there without sinking deep into the soft snow. So we need gadgets to traverse the area that leads to our destination, such as these snow shoes. They prevent us from sinking and help keep our balance.

They're cool and lightweight!

European crested tit

One time, as we crossed a frozen river to get to an island to look for a certain woodpecker specie,  we stumbled upon this snow mobile in the middle of the river. We stopped for a picture-taking, with me sitting there and hubby as my photographer, just for the fun of it. At least, I tried to sit on a snow mobile!

blue tits

Here's one trail on this island that we visited.

In searching for a rare owl and another kind of a rare woodpecker, we had to use our snow shoes to access the woods where they stay. The snow here is so thick that it's almost impossible to make one's way into the forest, especially for those who are carrying cameras with huge lenses and mounted on equally huge and heavy tripods. But hubby fixed a trail for the other birders by treading hard on the snow and making it compact. Our friend took pictures of me and hubby as we headed to the woods.

I'll post the birds that we found during this particular trek in my future blog.

Our winter birding is not only about searching for birds, but also about being out in the wild, connecting with nature which de-stresses and rejuvenates us, having a good exercise while walking strenuously in the snow, and spending time with nature-loving friends.  It's also about appreciating and enjoying the wonders of creation that our loving Creator generously presented to us.

Linking up with

Thankful Thursday
Skywatch Friday
Friday Bliss
Saturday's Critters
Awww Mondays
Our World Tuesday
Through My Lens
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