(Click an image to enlarge.)

This, our first real storm of the year, dumped inches of heavy, wet snow all over this area. And it hit hard. Many of us lost trees and endured power outages. But we all pull through in the end.

I had several trees snap in half, but they were mostly trees designated for removal in the spring anyway. One tree that was not to go is my apple tree. I have lost the left half of this tree. Deer come to eat the fallens apples while birds come to eat off the feeders I have hung in the branches.

Fortunately the part of the tree that fell is that which had the feeders. Since it is not entirely off the tree, branches are holding things up and the birds are having a great time, very busy at the feeders. I was happily watching the beauty outside this afternoon, cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, red-breasted nuthatches, American tree sparrow, Tufted Titmice, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, mourning doves, have I forgotten anyone?

So much beauty amidst the destruction of the tree…

Related articles

• Feeding North American birds in winter (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Column: Feeding birds over the winter time (thesheridanpress.com)
• Birders Flock to Essex-Charlotte Ferry Channel (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Snowy Owl Sighting (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Decrypting Bird Tracks in Snow (rosslynredux.com)
• Identifying North American birds (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Feed the Birds: My Grandmother’s Homemade Suet Cake Recipe (prairiebirder.wordpress.com)