What the pros are saying
FEATHERY WINTER COLORS
Decorating our indoor living spaces by updating paint colors, area rugs, furniture and window coverings is alway fun, but have you ever considered taking in nature’s color palette? Fall and winter have so much to offer us. The goldenrod, sumacs and tree leaves changing to their vibrant hues of orange, yellow and red invite us to take in their beauty during the fall months, and the backdrop of a clean white slate after a snowfall in the winter.
As falling leaves begin to carpet the ground, the visibility of songbirds is so much more evident, making it a great time for birdwatching. This can be done from the coziness of your home by adding a bird feeder to your yard. You can choose from a window feeder, such as the Droll Yankees Window Feeder, to see them up close and personal, or a more substantial feeder such as the Squirrel Buster Plus, which has a special cardinal perching ring to make the feeder Cardinal friendly. Even something as simple as a tray feeder placed on a table outside of your window! Birds flocking to finch feeders and nut feeders will also bring life to your outdoor space. All of these feeder choices will attract a wide-variety of colorful birds for you to enjoy.
Imagine the colors of bright red cardinals as they nestle on snow covered branches. Blue jays will be sure to dive onto a tray feeder to pick through peanuts to see which one is the heaviest. Our little goldfinches may not be in their vibrant lemon yellow breeding colors, but their soft yellow feathers are still lovely. Look for the gleaming red head on red-bellied woodpeckers, and the distinctive black and white bars on the hairy and downy woodpecker as well as the red patch on the back of both male’s heads so many different shades of red. Our dark-eyed junco’s sport feathers resembling a tuxedo as they dart on top of the snow in search of fallen seeds. Listen for the cooing of the mourning doves with their fawn colored coats.
Wild birding is a wonderful relaxing and healthy hobby that can assist with overall mental wellness. Your senses will benefit by taking the time to watch and observe local birding activity, especially on a wintery afternoon.
Enjoy all the colors nature has to offer, and end your day by unwinding while taking in the evening’s sunset. – Urban Nature Store, www.UrbanNatureStore.ca
