Big Snow and Hungry Critters - UPDATE December 16, 2022
Blue Jay
The forecast blizzard got bigger, burying the peanut buffet under nine inches of snow—too deep for blue jays to dig through but a squirrel did what they probably do with their food caches. It burrowed down into the snow toRed squirrel buried
Red squirrel buried in snow
the peanuts, ate them in privacy out of the wind, and was nice to show its face for a quick “Hi.”
By this morning a couple more inches of snow had settled on branches where the first blue jay of the day set the snow off nicely by adding its blue. Then many came. I counted 24 at once. Did the blizzard drive them to the easy food here?
Later, a red squirrel looked too cute to miss and then showed me how it takes many little nibbles to finish off a peanut.
Red squirrel w/peanut
Red squirrel w/peanut
Red squirrel
Red squirrel
Before the blizzard our camera showed the limping fox, the one we know, making many trips for food—chicken, bologna, mini-muffins—taking each treat in a different direction. Then he was gone for the duration of the blizzard and has not been seen on the camera or in person since.
Along the way, the red-bellied woodpecker gave me an extra good look at his orangish-red head with his back stripes standing out strikingly in good light.
Deer family
Deer family
Red bellied woodpecker
Red-bellied woodpecker
Finally, three deer stood in a nice snowy scene watching someone shovel snow.
Just so you know, I was at my desk working except for these few clicks. All the pictures were taken out the window from my desk.
Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
