First Snowfall
House sparrow in the snow - 11/11/25
Today brought a sharp drop in the temperatures and our first snowfall of the year. It was quite exhilarating to be out in the crisp air with the snow being blown by some pretty stiff winds letting us know that winter is right around the corner. With the wind chills dropping the “Feels like” temps to the high 20s, humans and birds alike dealt with the chill the best ways they know. We, by adding a few layers into our wardrobe, and the birds by fluffing their feathers out to trap warmer air close to their bodies and to help block the wind from blowing that warmth away. Check out this little Black-capped chickadee out at Silvermine Lake. The little guy looked about twice his normal size!
Black-capped chickadee - Silvermine Lake - 11/11/25
Other birds like the locally rare Pied-billed grebe also out at Silvermine Lake today, dealt with the chilly temps in their own ways. Pied-billed grebes employ several strategies to keep warm in cold weather. Their dense, waterproof feathers provide excellent insulation, trapping air close to their bodies to maintain heat. These birds often tuck their bills into their back feathers to reduce heat loss from exposed skin. Additionally, pied-billed grebes minimize energy expenditure by reducing activity during the coldest parts of the day. This diminutive waterbird remained almost motionless for extended periods of time as it bobbed along on the water’s surface. I usually see this species down in Florida where dealing with the cold is the least of their concerns. I’m sure today this individual would have preferred to be in the Sunshine State!
Pied-billed grebe - Silvermine Lake - 11/11/25 Nikon Z9 with Z 100-400 mm lens + Z 1.4 telextender for and equivalent 560 mm of reach.
And how about these two denizens of the forest? Mom and her young offspring were spotted along the Seven Lakes Drive in Harriman Park foraging on the roadside vegetation. White-tailed deer give birth to their young in the early spring months and the fawns are raised by the mother alone. After weaning, the fawns will remain close to their mother. By fall, the classic white spots of the little fawns have disappeared and the young deer looks much like the adult other than being considerably smaller. During the winter period, the young deer gain strength and experience and learn how to survive in the wild. These two will remain side by side until next spring when once again it will be time for the mom to find a mate and start the whole process over again. At that time, it’s “sayonara” and the two will part ways. Until then, however, they will be inseparable.
A Doe with her “Yearling”
By this time, the young deer is exiting the fawn stage and entering the “Yearling” stage where he/she has begun to feed independently. The youngster is still relying on Mom to each him/her those life-skills to help it survive on its own in the not-so-distant future. We can only wish them both good luck in the future.
