My Birding World

I monitored the car’s external thermometer on this chilly morning as we drove towards Redwood Regional Park. It started off in the mid-40s but crept lower and lower the further we ventured into the silent forest of redwood trees. Just before parking and turning off the wonderous heat, I noted the temperature at 32 degrees. Realizing that this California girl did not properly dress for such chilly weather, I bravely stepped out of the car to greet members of the Ohlone Audubon Society. This would be my first bird walk with this group.

The grassy meadow was white with frost. Leaves were lined with intricate geometric ice patterns. My right big toe was numb despite my double-layered socks, and I battled for the return of blood circulation for the next two hours. No amount of forcibly wiggling my toe or dancing around would return feeling back to my frozen appendage.

Despite the chill, the birds were abundant. Dozens of American Robins canvased a field actively working the ground for goodies. Occasional movements from our group set them off flying only to return moments later to continue their buffet. Pacific Wrens chirped loudly announcing their location followed by a bubbly song that mesmerized me. We strained our necks looking at Golden-crowned Kinglets dancing at the tops of the massive redwoods. A Red-breasted Sapsucker drilled away on a single limb for seemingly over an hour.

Birds are masters at adapting to cold weather. Either they migrate towards warmer climates, or they deploy a number of strategies to keep war while staying put. Fluffing up their feathers and morphing into a puffball allows air to be trapped between the wispy barbs of down feathers and keeps a bird warm. It’s like slipping under a comforter and warming up using your body heat. Birds may sometimes cuddle together to share warmth as another strategy. They also have biological methods of enduring the cold winter nights that puts them into torpor, a sort of hibernation-lite. The birds today were happy to be dining in the chill as I happily watched under four layers of tops and nine toes with feeling for the rest of the trip.