Nature Done Wright

My latest "Bird Watcher" column in The Record features advice from Stiles Thomas, who reminds us that birds have a tough time getting water when the weather turns real cold. Here's the opening  (minus part of a beautiful poem by Wallace Stevens):

This time of year, as our thoughts and our gazes turn more and more to our backyard feeders, many of us tend to overlook one aspect of helping birds survive long cold spells: Birds do not live by food alone.

As my friend Stiles Thomas reminds me, birds also need water – not only to drink but also to bathe. When feathers aren't in tip-top shape, they don't insulate the bird's body as effectively, and the bird must burn more energy to stay warm at a time when it is a matter of survival.

The link to the columnn is here.