FREEZE

Did you ever play “Freeze Tag” as a kid? That’s what I think of when I see the birds freeze motionless in the lilac trees outside our front door. As a backyard birdwatcher I’m familiar with birds being in constant motion, flitting from one branch to the other, flying back and forth from tree to feeder, and dropping to the ground to pick up a nut. So when everything suddenly stops and those same birds freeze in place, not even moving their heads, it’s very noticeable. And the more birds there are when this happens, the stranger it looks • It means there’s a potential predator nearby, either one they’ve seen, or they’re reacting to crow or bluejay warning calls. They can remain in this motionless state for up to ten minutes if they’re unsure of their safety. I always look around hoping to glimpse a hawk or another unusual bird to our yard but have never seen anything • This bird version of Freeze Tag happens at least once a day here in Snowville • Shoveling fatigue has set in…another storm coming Tuesday :) • Happy Funday Sunday!