I am back in Hamilton just in time to miss a great opportunity to snow-shoe at THO. Even so, the birds here in Hamilton are happy to have me back. My feeders are covered in snow that is at least a foot and a half deep now and showing no sign of stopping. After the drive and walkways were shovelled, I cleared off a spot on top of the patio chair and the air-conditioner and dumped a bunch of seed and peanuts there. I am unsure if you can see just how many birds there are here, sheltering themselves in the cedars in between turns, but I am guessing there are about 50-60 of them.
The drought last summer makes food so scarce this winter, so I am tipping the scales for these little creatures just a little bit. There are lots of varieties of sparrows, dark eyed Juncos, starlings, purple grosbeaks a cardinal pair who depend on my feeders.
They pay me back by sharing their beauty with my eyes and mind and of course by singing. They always remind me of my great love, Townes Van Zandt. Specifically Townes haunting voice and lyrics, “the birds were talking all at once” come to me… and so I sing too, along with the little chatterers, in my off key and not so wonderful way.
Thankfully my dogs don’t mind much.
Tiny House Ontario 
You have way more birds than we do right now. the crows are the only ones singing to me, if you can call theirs a song. We have been busy feeding what birds we do have. I love the symphony of the birds, it can sound as if it is just meant for me alone. My grand daughter spent the night one night this past summer and woke really early to the birds, she asked what they were saying and half asleep I told her they were singing to give us a good night sleep. A few minutes later she wanted to see them. We headed outside and found seriously more than a hundred birds on the trees, feeders and along the ground eating away. She simply stopped, frozen in place with this huge smile growing on her face, it was worth it to me to venture out so early to see that smile and know she loves nature as much as I do.
Laura~ do you have birds other than sparrows and grackles? I bought a big bag of Safflower seeds before yule and my birds will not eat them. Apparently Jays and Cardinals like them. If you want I will give you this bag! It is taking up space in my freezer… squirrels don’t like them either, which is why I bought them!
I have a mixed bag of safflower and sunflower and the cardinals come to it… but so too do the singing sparrows. Sorry that you are not getting any cardinals at your place. I am happy to share it with my birds here if you are sure you do not need it.
Thanks Lois.
xo L