The two photographs show swallows feeding at our feeder located in the snow-covered backyard of our house on Cooley Avenue on the south side of Jefferson Park.

 

(The swallows are one of nearly 10,000 species of birds on Spaceship Earth. There are about 100 billion birds on the planet compared with nearly 8 billion of us humans. While our species (homo sapiens) have been around for nearly 200,000 years -- birds in their present form have been around for nearly 100 million years.)

 

The photographs were taken on the afternoon of Super Bowl Sunday (February 13, 2022).

 

It was a cold day.

 

It had been snowing since yesterday evening -- I measured we got about 2 inches.

 

It has been snowing off and on since January 17th when we got 11 inches plus another 6 to 8 inches since.

 

The temperatures have been below freezing most of the days since January 17th and the area remains covered with snow.

 

(While I am well stocked to feed the birds, our cats, and myself -- I am waiting for the snow to melt before I take a walk to Marc's. I am car-less and walk all around.)

 

The freezing temperatures have not discouraged the swallows to visit our feeder every day.

 

I keep a record of the amount of seeds being consumed.

 

The feeder holds about 2 pounds of birdseed.

 

I make it a point to fill the feeder as required -- at a varying frequency -- sometimes every day, sometimes every two days, every three days, sometimes every week, and even longer.

 

I have only seen swallows visit our feeder – even though there are other species in the area -- blue jays, cardinals. crows, robins, and others.

 

The swallows start feeding in the morning. They gather in shrubs that we have in our backyard and double lot (of the nearly 60 houses around the park, our neighbor's house and ours are the only two with double lots -- vacant lots for trees and shrubs for our pets to enjoy -- like a miniature park). From the shrubs -- about 20 to 30 feet from the feeder -- they make a dash to the feeder -- feed on a seed or two -- and dash right back to the shrub.

 

This back-and-forth movement between the shrubs and the feeder goes on all day till the seeds are consumed.

 

 

The feeder is about 30-feet away from the rear of our house. And when it looks empty -- you can see none of the birds are around -- I go out -- walking gingerly in the snow (making sure that I don't fall down) -- and fill up the feeder from the bag kept in our garage -- and as soon as I am finished -- the birds make a dash for the feeder.

 

The birds will not come if I am close to the feeder -- I have to be about 20-feet away before the birds will make a dash to the feeder at nearly 20 mph – they look like they are speeding like some cars on our streets.

 

The birds are fed only in the late autumn, winter, and early spring months -- November to April -- as there is enough food available in the warmer months.

 

What a delight interacting with another species!

 

Today, we got over 10-hours of sunlight – a gain of over an hour since start of winter.

 

The days are getting longer -- on the first day of spring – March 20th -- about 5-weeks away -- we will have 12-hour long days -- and the start of the blossoming of flowers.

 

Enjoy the remaining winter – stay healthy and cheerful!