It’s that time again here in The Adirondacks, and mountain residents know all too well the confinement and extra chores that come with SNOW. My Husband and I find a great deal of joy and contentment feeding and watching the birds, and there is no time like winter to observe the lives and behaviors of our friendly visiting birds. One of the most entertaining winter birds is the dark eyed junco. These little birds are the real snowbirds, unlike humans who are called snowbirds for fleeing the winter temps in search of warmer territory, these little birds arrive in the Northeast in time for snow fall and will fly northward once signs of spring appear.
Juncos are very social and will gather in flocks that may have two dozen birds or more. A flock of juncos is called a chittering, flutter, crew, or host. Juncos will also join flocks with chickadees, sparrows, and kinglets. Due to their similar coloring and size, the junco is sometimes confused with a chickadee but can be differentiated by several factors. Once you identity the differences in each bird, you will immediately recognize who is who and their intriguing habits.
Remnants Of Life
The Adirondack Mountains is an amazing place to witness the natural lives of wild animals. With 2,000 miles of hiking trails, there is ample opportunity to witness new life as well as the passing of life. The mountains are full of the cycle of life as we witness baby animals of various species and come upon a pile of dry bones. The cycle of life escapes no creature calling this Earth their home and there is evidence all around us of this fact. Is it possible for death, the dry bones of an expired animal to once again be a part of the building blocks of life? In the lives of some mountain animals this is most certainly possible and is an important factor in survival as a source of essential minerals.
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