The recent break in the weather between the snow storms and frigid Arctic blasts was a welcome respite for all of the creatures including us.

I couldn’t help but worry for the wildlife as they not only had to deal with below zero temperatures, but also deep snow and icy conditions that crusted the snow with a hard shell. I was working with a construction crew that was updating a bathroom when we heard a clunk.

Jill, who was one of the crew doing tile work, looked at me and said, “That doesn’t sound good…I think a bird hit a window!” I responded with a laugh and told her not to worry because it was only my frequent visitor … Bird Brain.

I guess that I should pause here and explain about Bird Brain, lest my readers think that I am especially cruel and unfeeling. Bird Brain is a female Northern Cardinal who has taken up residence in our rhododendrons along one wall of our home.

She has been with us for some time and has the peculiar habit of flying at our guest room window. I suppose that she is being territorial and sees her own reflection in the glass. We have tried many strategies to keep her away from the window, including silhouettes and cardboard cutouts, lights and coverings.

She still persists and we get to hear the clunks of her thumping against the window. I have watched her antics for so long that I can recognize her at the feeder stations on our property.

Bird Brain isn’t our only guest that visits the feeder stations and sports an unusual habit or appearance. We also have Johnny Short-tail, who is a gray squirrel who stands out from all of his kin with a distinct half tail. How he came about losing part of his tail will remain a mystery to us because Johnny isn’t talking about it.

I imagine squirrels with short tails feel a little bit embarrassed, but I always say it’s better than the alternative, which you are likely a predator’s dinner.

Another visitor to the feeders is a young whitetail deer family who has learned to bump around the feeders and then pick up droppings of seeds on the ground around the feeder. I was just bragging about how our shrubbery escaped the deer this year until I went around the house knocking icicles off of the gutters.

Deer tracks right up to the house and right into the shrubs including Bird Brain’s very own private rhododendron. The snow tells the tale as you can track the activities of the deer as they meander about the property. I was following one set of tracks at my father-in-law’s home and came face to face with the culprit in person. Darrell had an area against his wall that was protected from the wind and close to his feeders as well.

A young yearling doe decided that this was the place for her to hang out and laid claim to the spot. I walked up to the young deer and came face to face with her … she wasn’t too alarmed and gave me the attitude of, ‘don’t bother me I’m just hanging out here out of the wind and trying to stay warm.’

I got it and backed up and let her have her sanctuary. I decided to head to my favorite chair in my living room by the large southern exposure windows. I must admit that I like to take a few winks at that location and keep an eye out for wildlife activity.

The wildlife activity didn’t disappoint me as the outstanding warble of a bird drew my attention 100 percent. A beautiful wren was working the edge of the flower bed and we were able to clearly identify the pair of birds as the Winter Wren.

The range of these birds starts in Alaska and New Foundland and south to our region. They give a high-pitched, varied, and rapid series of musical trills and chatters. Their notes were so loud and distinctive that they had an immediate response from our Zebra Finches who also found them captivating.

These little wrens crept about the bare spots of the under-story singing their unique tunes until the sun set for the end of this February day. I hated to break it to them, but their furry friend Punxsy Phil broke the news earlier in the day that we can expect six more weeks of winter!

I don’t know how they can maintain in this brutal weather, but I guess they don’t have any choice. Until we meet again stay safe, stay warm and look out for our wildlife the best you can.

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butlerr Eagle