Evidence

February is that month where you just kind of dig in, hibernate and try to get things done inside, while dreaming of being outside. The snow drifts and piles up, the wild howls and the only time I seem to go outside is when it is a necessity. But even though February is the short month and the time should fly by, it doesn’t; it drags and I feel like I need to get outside even if it is for just short time or a nice drive to awaken the senses from that winters respite. Even though it seems bleak and desolate at first glance, a longer look reveals the beauty and the evidence that though it is cold and snowy, life goes on.

That perfect white blanket of snow is completely devoid of human presence. The sun glistens on the ice crystals in the early morning light. The frost hangs heavy on branches and limbs and adds a glow of amazement to the landscape. Ice covers the streams, ponds and lakes concealing what swims beneath from what walks above. I love those winter mornings when the sky is bright blue and the clouds are fluffy white. Those are the days I need to go outside to warm my spirits in February, because it is on those days that the world around me shows me the clues that even though it is winter, spring cannot be that far away. Footprints in the snow show me where the squirrels, rabbits and deer have been. The tracks of birds feet in the snow are delicate and small. A perfect set of wings imprinted on the snow show us where an attack from above may have taken place the night before. The evidence is all around us....life goes on around us.

Sometimes these drives and outings in the winter turn up amazing things. I was recently at one of my favorite places enjoying the winter scene in a completely peaceful setting. The water here is from an underground spring and it never freezes. Bald eagles are always about as are juncos, cardinals, downy and red-bellied woodpeckers. The ever-present belted kingfisher scolds when it is chased from its perch. Bluebirds, robins, titmice, yellow rump warblers and nuthatches make an appearance as well. This day however I noticed from the car some whitish-yellow drippings on bare branches next to a small evergreen. I knew before I even saw the suspect and my heart skipped a beat. The evidence was right in front of me and it had led me to the first Northern Saw-Whet Owl I had ever found.

Roosting in the densest part of the pine, its yellow eyes stared down at me as I approached and took a few photos. It didn’t move or make a sound; it simply stared at me from five feet away and I respected its privacy after a few moments. These creatures of the night never cease to amaze me. It was a great day to get outside.