
An ovenbird perches on snowy branches at Bennett’s Farm State Park in Connecticut during a rare May snowfall in 2020.
Usually I post my latest bird column on Sunday and leave it at that. But yesterday (yes May 9) many in New England woke up to a snow-covered ground and then got another dose of the white stuff later in the day. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get up early and head into the woods to try to get photos of warblers and other spring migrants that we typically don’t associate with snow. There was just a covering of snow and the morning sun was melting it quickly so I had to hurry. I ended up with a few shots of an ovenbird and a blue-winged warbler on snowy branches. Strange times, indeed. (I’ll post the ovenbird a bit later today.)
Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there!
(Here’s even more repeat text for context: I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

An ovenbird perches on snowy branches at Bennett’s Farm State Park in Connecticut during a rare May snowfall in 2020.
Mmhmmm.. looks like there might be a few in the “oven”… do birds show expanded bodies before they lay eggs? I’ve wondered… this one is sure a cutie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Ezzell. They don’t necessarily show expanded bellies when they have eggs. This is likely puffed up because of the cold. They puff their feathers to trap warm air next to their bodies. It was in the mid-30s when this photo was taken. Thanks for writing!
LikeLike