Those Uncomfortable Groundhog Weeks

@Rollo1 (16679)
Boston, Massachusetts
February 21, 2017 7:06am CST
I heard a strange noise coming from somewhere outside my kitchen window this morning. At first, I noticed only that there was noise where noise didn't usually exist. It took my foggy brain a moment to realize that it was a bird. Chirping? Not exactly. It was loud and not musical at all. It was a rallying cry. "C'mon birds, birds, birds. Time to work, work, work". The groundhog may have claimed six more weeks of winter, and winter may have obliged by sending three snowstorms in rapid fire succession, but some of these transitional weeks bring confused weather of sunny days in the 40s and clear nights in the 20s. Somehow, the snow melts, but the ice never disappears. Which is what makes me worry about those birds. The first thing to do upon returning is to make the nest. What is there that they can make nest out of? Twigs? The world is covered in snow and ice with nothing even reasonably comfortable available for nest bedding.And birds can't decide to put it off a bit. A bird can't say - "You guys head north, I'm going to stay in Florida another week and soak up some sun. Catch up with you later". It's all programming. They have to make nests even if there's nothing to make them out of. So, when I stay in bed after the alarm has sounded, it's not because I am lazy. I am simply celebrating my free will, my ability to ignore my duty and decide that it's February and it's bleak and things look much better with my eyes closed. The groundhog has gone back to sleep and so will I. If only those birds would be quiet.
15 people like this
17 responses
• Midland, Michigan
21 Feb 17
Ahh, so that's the real reason why you noticed those birds. We have birds that have their next right under the roof and it's been there for several years. If any come here I give my permission for that next to be occupied just so there's no fighting. Our ice melted and completely dried up finally over the warmer weekend.
3 people like this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Feb 17
We are still having very cold night temps, so I think the ice will take some real warm days to completely disappear.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
22 Feb 17
@Rollo1 Ours evaporated with the second day of temp into the forties, but the ice that was on the lawns disappeared back in January after the thaw that took place then. It was everywhere for quite a while then before it left. We got more sometime in Feb, but that is now gone too and it was mostly on the sidewalks that weren't even. I'm sure more will be coming next month if even for just a little while.
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
21 Feb 17
I put some straw outside and some yarn so they can serve themselves and build a nest. Poor birds.
2 people like this
@kaka135 (14921)
• Malaysia
21 Feb 17
That's really nice of you. I have seen some tutorials or articles about sharing some yarns for the birds, I didn't really understand why though I think it's nice as the birds here can always get enough supplies since I am staying in tropical country. Now I understand this.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Feb 17
I am afraid that if I put out such things, the neighbors would call the landlord and complain that I was making a mess.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
22 Feb 17
@Rollo1 We have no problems here, if we do this in our own property. As far as I do this in our own garden nobody can complain. What should I say of the neighbors' cats that come to dig my garden?
1 person likes this
@Beatburn (4287)
• Philippines
21 Feb 17
It's cold. Maybe those birds want to get some warmth. Let them in?
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Feb 17
I have spent a lot of time trying to keep them out. For several years, they built nests in my dryer vent.
1 person likes this
@Beatburn (4287)
• Philippines
22 Feb 17
@Rollo1 I wonder where else they could go, a sanctuary or something during the winter.
• United States
21 Feb 17
Nature figures it all out eventually.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Feb 17
Nature does seem to manage to keep them all alive, or at least enough of them to keep t he population steady.
• United States
21 Feb 17
@Rollo1 In the country they are targets.
@Tampa_girl7 (48855)
• United States
22 May 17
We have an over abundance of birds this year.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
22 May 17
The mockingbirds make me crazy at this time of year as they sing all night sometimes and I have windows open.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (48855)
• United States
22 May 17
@Rollo1 while we were in West Virginia we could hear the Doves
@JESSY3236 (18760)
• United States
21 Feb 17
It has been unusually warm here. I heard a noise too, but I don't know what it was. I don't think it was birds.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Feb 17
Seems it's warm across much of the Northern Hemisphere. Never fear, it usually means spring will be late, coming just after that second lashing of cold and snow in March.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
23 May 17
I deliberately put laundry lint, and yarn scraps out. Oh and hair trimmings when I shear off hubby's curls. I like having a job, but miss being able to go back to bed when the weather is mediocre.
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
17 Apr 17
It is two months later and they are noisier than ever. All sizes of birds. One got into my house last month while hubby was home and I was not. I think it was a wren. It did NOT want to be in a house, it had mistakenly gotten in. We had to persuade it that the door could be opened and it could go back out.
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
21 Feb 17
This winter is strangely very warm. Nothing like I ever remember them to be. So, global warming is a real thing and we are seeing the effects of it right now in real time.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Feb 17
So, two years ago when it was bitterly cold all winter and we had 106 inches of snow, global warming wasn't real?
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Feb 17
@inertia4 There were winters that were warm and winters with blanketing blizzards. The variety is what I remember when I was a child. And I am very old. I remember they said we were heading towards a new ice age. They also said half of the US was going to die of starvation by 1970. Scientists change their minds a lot based on new information they gather. This is the only time in history when scientists weren't allowed to express differing opinions from one another.
1 person likes this
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
21 Feb 17
@Rollo1 Oh yes it was. And still is. We are feeling the effects of it. But you have to admit that this year is strangely warm. I am not saying every year will be the same, but it is getting real strange.
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
18 Mar 17
The groundhog got it right in our area. Or did he? Anyway, with March 20 being the official day of the new season, we will see!
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
22 Feb 17
Maybe you could toss some yarn and stuff out for them? lol
@TheHorse (203718)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 May 17
Did they take a little vacation and come back?
@just4him (303392)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
25 May 17
It's spring now and the temps are still acting like winter is still upon us. No snow anymore, but if it gets cold enough, anything is possible. I might love winter, but right now I'm wishing for somewhat warmer temps so I can turn off my heat until the middle of fall.
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Feb 17
Perhaps you could put out some sticks or yarn for them to make a start with. :)
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Feb 17
With my luck they would ignore them and then I would have to find someone to clean it all up.
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14921)
• Malaysia
21 Feb 17
I can't imagine it's still very cold there. Poor birds, hope they will be able to find enough supplies to build their nest, and you have a good sleep too.
@jaboUK (64363)
• United Kingdom
21 Feb 17
People wax lyrical about the 'dawn chorus', but it's just a pesky nuisance as far as I'm concerned. I don't weish any harm to the birds though, so I hope the ones outside your place find a solution.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
21 Feb 17
A crow came to our balcony and stole a red ribbon to decorate its nest.