A blizzard came through the Northeast today and amid white-out conditions, a flock of around forty pine siskins and American goldfinches fed all day at my two thistle feeders and one sunflower feeder. At the start of the day, the feeders were full of seed and by end, two-thirds had been eaten by this hungry hoard. I wondered what they’d have done if this buffet wasn’t here?
At one point, there also were eight red-wing blackbirds checking out the action, along with a pair of cardinals, a few juncos and a lone mourning dove. Chickadees favored the sunflower food, while red-bellied and hairy woodpeckers visited the suet.
The temperature never got higher than 25F (-4C) and with winds gusting to 25 mph, the snow was often falling sideways, whipping around the house and making icy patterns on the windows.
We ended up with around 18″ of snow, but with all the blowing, it was tough to get an accurate reading. March near always gives us our most dramatic winter storms, and this was no exception!
Eliza Waters 
I was just reading about the big storm, and wondering how you’re doing. Glad you’re safe & doing well enough to take pictures & tell us about it. Thank you for helping the hungry little birds. Stay warm.
Thank you, Micheal. My guys are gone, so clean up is in my court and boy, am I feeling it. Not as young as I used to be! 😉
I hear you. I hired a gardener because I just don’t bounce back like I used to.
Ooh, my dream, too. A young one to do all the heavy lifting with enthusiasm. 😉
You kept them alive through the storm.
Well, at least well-fed! 😉
Oh, you saved their lives! You are a superhero! 👩🏻🎤👍🏻
😀 Thanks, Trini. Somehow, I think they’d have figured something out on their own, but I’m glad I could help out.
Beautiful photos with all that bird action! Glad you are cozy and still have power.
Thank you, March. It was a big one, so glad it passed without a calamity. Now to shoveling!
Wow! And all those birds knew exactly where to go for a meal donated by a very caring human. Stay well and warm.
Thank you, Dor. The wood stove is my best friend these days. And the snow shovel, my enemy, ha! 😉
So good to be able to observe wild life like this. Also to be a part of the story of these migratory birds…
Yes, they give me a lot of peace in watching them come and go.
This is when bird feeders come into their own. Dramatic photographs that capture the action well.
Thank you, Anne. And today, very few visitors. I wonder where they all went? On to the next feeding station, I expect!
I have similar experiences too sometimes.
It sounds so wild and daunting. For vulnerable little creatures your bird feeders must have been a welcome station for filling up on high energy snacks.
Yes, I really feel for these poor things. They are impressively hardy, however. Well adapted!
Amazing storm! So glad the birds have a haven at your home Eliza ⛄️☃⛄️
Thank you, Karen. It was a doozy!
Thank you for caring for the feathered critters. It must be difficult for them in such conditions
I worry about them at night when it bitterly cold and the wind is blowing. They are such little things! Anything I can do to help them through is well rewarded with their cheerful chatter.
Love these photos.
Thank you!
Your feeders were life savers. We heard about your storm on our news in the UK and I wondered how you were all doing.
Thank you, Pauline. It was a big one, but some had it worse than we did. At least we didn’t lose power. Now we have to dig out!
Brrrrrrrrr! Amazing photos.
Thank you! It is still blowing around a few flurries out there, but the sun is trying to come out. Digging out is today’s agenda.
You got some great shots of them, despite the lighting conditions! Stay warm Eliza!
I know, it was so dark out, I had to have a grainier ISO and lots of processing. Thanks, Cathy!
Oh! Eliza, you make me feel quite guilty about our spring-like conditions. I don’t think I’ve ever seen 18 inches of snow fall in one day in my life!
We’ve had bigger storms, but luckily not often. There were some areas that received double our amount. The wind created huge drifts, too. Luckily, when this happens, the gov. calls a ‘state of emergency’ so everyone must stay home, except essential personnel. It keeps folks safe and speeds recovery. Back to it today!
Such elegance in a blizzard.
Thank you, Derrick. 🙂
Lucky birds to have found your garden Eliza. 18 inches is a lot of snow! Glad you kept safe.
Yes, I am fortunate to have a warm, comfy house. It was nice to be all cozy inside. Today’s outside clean-up is another matter. 😉
I know this will probably be melted in a week, but it’s so disheartening to watch a bare lawn receive 18″ of new snow. I’m longing for the smell of soil & the sound of peepers!
Soon come, mon! 😉
Great photos. So glad the birds have you to help them in these kinds of conditions!
Thank you. They gift me with cheer in return. 🙂
Beautiful photographs! A commentary on the beautiful mystery of nature.and a how we fit in.
Thank you, Albert. Nature rules.
Great images Eliza. I love the finches. Beautiful.
Thank you, Sylvia. They are cheerful little things. 🙂
Ditto here. It was a real doozy. 🙂
Just like the ones we used to know! 🙂 I’m still shoveling!
So glad those wonderful birds were so well cared for! I’m sure the snow was beautiful! ❄️
Thank you, Carrie. Despite the clock ‘springing ahead,’ it feels like we are ‘wintering back!’ 😀
Oh, I agree! It’s very cold and windy here on the Carolina coast!
Lovely photos. Isn’t it wonderful to watch the variety of birds at the feeder. I’ve had a flock of 30 to 40 goldfinches at my feeders all winter and they’ve brought me much joy.
Thank you, K. Birds do have make winter a brighter season. I love their busyness in an otherwise desolate landscape.
We also had the same storm last night. We got up to about 40cm of snow on the ground. I have to go out now to shovel the sidewalk from our house to the street…lots of snow….Nice pics. I particularly like the first one. (Suzanne)
Thank you, Suzanne. Yes, lots of shoveling! 😉
Oh Eliza, I am so sorry. This is the real March Madness. I hope there are still some berries and seeds in my garden to feed the migrating birds and that the snow melted and filled the heated bath. It is colder here now in CK, too and wicked winds. I noticed a Goldfinch at my feeder here — a new comer and also two Carolina Wrens. Cardinals surround here and sound loud as monkeys! A large flock of Cowbirds also grounded nearby. My newly potted poor Palm Grass is getting whipped. I’ll take this over a blizzard any day, though. I picked up some plants from the local garden club that I may put into the soil today — pink muhly grass and beauty berry! Two plants I’ve always wanted but were just not hardy enough for the Northern garden. Also some Milkweed for the overwintering Monarchs here. Stay warm, hygge!
Thank you, Kathy. I’m slowly digging out. I’m not as vigorous as I used to be! 😉
I love pink muhly grass. I do have a beauty berry, but it dies back to the ground annually, so never is truly spectacular. I envy you being able to play in a warm weather garden! 🙂
I won’t lie, I’m a bit bewildered by it all!
Learning curves – they keep you young! 🙂
Lovely photos of the birds and winter scene! Our return of winter only brought the cold and a couple of inches of snow and I could not believe the snow totals for some areas of the Northeast. Hope everything is fine with you and the birds as you deal with the blizzard aftermath.
Thank you! Closer to the coast really got a pile, which makes our 18″ seem not so bad. Still have a lot of snow to shovel (at least the walk and driveway are done) and feeders to fill – I’d rather nap, however!
Lucky birds! We’ve had 30cm and it’s still falling😏
Aw, ain’t winter grand? 😉
I think the birds would have found some food on their own although it is so kind of you to make it easier for them. Our snow has mostly melted around the house but I am not putting away my boots until the end of April.
That’s smart! Mother Nature keeps us on our toes. 🙂 As you saw in the photo of the robins, we were almost snow-free, but another 18″ yesterday was our ‘start over’ surprise. It will melt eventually and fill the reservoirs!
What an array of birds! We got a mild storm but I agree that March can bring some serious snow.
They gave me something to watch other than the storm. 🙂
Eliza, fortunately for us it wasn’t too inconvenient, so we were able to simply enjoy the beauty. We still have another full day of snow ahead.
Gotta love that lake-effect snow! 😉
Stay warm!
We had a bunch of goldfinches at the thistle feeder a couple days ago. I had only seen them once or twice all winter, and then they were all of a sudden everywhere (and looking more yellow and spring-like than they had been looking over winter!). It’s mostly junco and chickadee central out there, though we’re getting plenty of cardinals, nuthatches and woodpeckers of various sorts.
And of course, Schooner and Choppy’s favorite: squirrels! 😉
The clean up is brutal, I’m only halfway done and I’m exhausted! I need a nap. I should follow the pet’s lead. 😉
I have started shaking my fist at them, like an old man telling the kids to get off of his yard. I try to forget about their presence when I’m not directly looking at one of them.
Less stressful that way. There is no winning against these guys. 😉
Nope – at least they’re cute. And I don’t actually mind feeding them. I just wish they wouldn’t eat all the bird food and prevent the birds from getting it!
I hear you. Maybe you ought to try one of those weight-triggered, port-closing bird feeders. I bet they are on sale at this time of year. 😉
Now that’s a popular canteen 😀
😀 It is! Amazing, today there is hardly any birds. The flock must have moved on.
Lovely to see all the birds on the feeders, I hope your March weather doesn’t come this way!
Haha, I doubt that it will. You’re safely tucked into the Gulf Stream!
I always loved being able to feed the little birds up North during nasty weather, they hunker down and brave it well with a little help from friends, bless you and I’m glad you made it through too ❤
Thank you, Kim. Friday is supposed to be in the 40s, so melting will commence!
Amazing images, I especially love the first. Hope that the snow doesn’t do too much damage.
Thank you, Allison. No, this wasn’t a bad storm for damage (the high winds a couple weekends ago pretty much took down every tree and branch that was weak, so I doubt there is anything left to break). I’m a bit sore from shoveling, but I’ll recover. I looked at it as training for spring gardening. 😉
I’ve never put out food for the wild things before this winter, but we had so much snow for so long and I knew they weren’t adapted to it, so out went the survival goodies. 🙂
Every body appreciates a helping hand. 🙂
Your weather made BBC news. I love your bird images. Hope it moves off soon
Thank you, Dorris. I guess it was newsworthy. They said it would effect 70 million people, plus all those trying to fly in from other places. Mother Nature has the power!
She does indeed!
I don’t envy you the digging out. I think we’re the same age and I joke that I’m not 35 anymore when it comes to snow clearing, even though I’m in relatively good condition. Yesterday I laughed with a friend though that having some wrinkles is an advantage–people think I need help and, frankly, I’m happy to take it. I was cleaning my car and shoveling yesterday afternoon and a young man came and finished off the front shoveling very fast. Wow. Anyway, that one picture with the little bird with its wings spread and the dove having a go under the snow is priceless. Glad you could feed them all. I was buzzed by a peregrine today, close enough to see the blue. It may have been after a mouse or chipmunk. With luck it will get one…Pace yourself!
Thank you, Lisa. Two hours last night and two hours this afternoon. A tad sore tonight! (But I’m building up my gardening muscles!) 🙂
That’s one way to look at it!
What miserable weather, Eliza! I’m glad you thought ahead and filled your feeders and I’m impressed that the birds held their own during those conditions. Stay warm and safe!
Thank you, Kris. The birds were tenacious, for sure.
Nice and sunny today, though cold with a brisk wind. Great day for shoe-shoeing!
A nice blog
Thank you!
Wow! Great experience! Great photos! You make the best of a situation which might stress out city folks!
😀 Country living – I really love it! Thanks for stopping by, Michael.
Love your bird shots. Here, the birds were heavy at the feeders before and after the storm, but for about 18 hours when the winds were screaming, not a bird in sight. Hunkered down in the woods, I imagine.
Thank you, Brenda. I expect at your elevation, the winds were probably quite intense! Hunkering down in the woods sounds like a smart move. 🙂
Goodness , Eliza! The snow found you . We watched it unfold on radar on the Weather Channel and thought of you . Your shots of the birds are wonderful . ..your summer work force to snap up bugs in your garden ? I’m glad you had enough food out there for them to survive the cold . Your wood stove must still be humming away . ..hope life gets back to normal soon . Hugs ☺
Back to normal already, pretty much, with the shoveling done (there certainly is a lot of it when one is doing it alone!). The trails need to be snowshoed– I’ve only done one loop– it is a good workout! With the temps rising next week, I expect there will be a lot of melting. In a few weeks, it’ll all be a memory!
Please take good care of yourself, Eliza. Good to hear life is getting back to normal and that the shoveling is done! Sun has returned here, but the windchill still stings 😉
Yes, a brisk day– not bad, though. I’m on the fence because the cold keeps the ticks at bay– those warm days brought a few out, so I’m happy for the reprieve. 🙂
You always find the bright side of things, Eliza 😉
I try! It helps. 🙂
😉 Especially in the face of special challenges…. ❤ ❤ ❤
March marches on, that’s for sure! And, yes, wonderful bird shots. We got about the same amount of snow as you did. By last night, I was pooped from all the shoveling.
I’m awaiting that promised ‘out like a lamb’ weather! 😉
I especially love the first photo,made me think of resilience.
Yes, the force is strong! 😉 Thanks, Kim. 🙂
Poor little birds. Great images. Hope March goes out like a lamb soon!
Thanks, Peter. Boy, I hope so, too!
Amazing shots of the birds!
Thank you, Fi. It was a busy day at the feeders!
Looking good out there keep the finches fed, and look at all that snow. Better than a tornado. Hang in there, Spring is just around the corner.
<3! Thanks for the encouragement! 🙂
18 inches wow! Bless your heart for feeding our little feathered friends. ❤
Thank you, Julie. It’s already starting to melt, inch by inch!