As a new year begins and we begin our first full year on the property, I am filled with the sense of possibility, and a deep curiosity and gratitude for this Land and the many non-humans who live here. We are graced to see so many individuals going about their lives and finding their living here. And watching them fills me with questions about who they are and why they do what they do and how each of them experiences their own lives and what they think about us. The questions bubble up as I watch them each day.

The Birds — there are so many Birds here. Small Songbirds like Dark Eyed Juncos, many types of Warblers and Finches, Nuthatches, at least 3 types of Woodpeckers, Cardinals (at least four couples live here as we have seen all 8 of them at a time), Mourning Doves in the dozens, Blue Jays, Crows, Hawks, and we have heard an Owl but not yet seen one. And of course the regal Turkeys. Because we don’t yet have prairie Plants with their beautiful seed heads growing and providing food over the winter, we are serving food to the Birds and they do seem to appreciate it. They gather round the feeders, with some Birds throwing seeds on the ground allowing those who prefer to to eat off the ground while those preferring to eat up higher (or even upside down!) help themselves on the feeder.

This Dark Eyed Junco had a really good time one day recently when it had snowed a bit and the top of the feeder was covered in snow. When I first noticed him, I thought he might have fallen off the top by mistake, but he immediately returned to the top of the feeder and slid down the side again… and again and again! I was laughing out loud at how much fun he seemed to be having. My husband came into the living room to ask what was going on and of course the Junco just stood there for a bit, repudiating my story. But then, he started again and slid off the top a few more times before finally going back to the ground to get more snacks. He was such a joyful Bird and reminded me to enjoy the snow and cold. To put this in perspective, Dark Eyed Juncos consider southern Michigan their warm place and are known as “snowbirds” for their migrating behavior! According to the Michigan Nature Association they will return to Canada for the summer to find a mate and raise their children. How in the world does such a small Bird not only survive but thrive in such cold temperatures?! This fragility compels us to diligently provide food to make up for the lack of natural sources and historically irregular patterns of weather.

The sense of community among Birds is quite fascinating to me. They all seem to generally get along, sharing a meal together and not usually minding being in each other’s presence. Occasionally, one Bird will push another aside, especially on the feeder port, but mostly, they seem to share well, taking turns or simply sampling the ground buffet they find. There are seemingly dozens of Dark Eyed Juncos wintering here and they offer endless opportunities for entertainment and enlightenment. Check out this Audubon article for additional fun facts about these fascinating birds.

Animal agriculture is a direct threat to all Birds, including the Dark Eyed Junco. North America has lost 3 billion birds in the last 50 years and a great deal of that loss is due to loss of habitat, pesticide use and environmental degradation — all strongly related to growing corn and soy for animal consumption. Most of North America’s agriculture is actually Animal agriculture, with 78% of cropland used to raise crops fed to animals. So every Plant meal we choose to eat is protection for these magnificent Birds who grace our yards and lives all year long. Try this Broccoli Cheeze soup recipe — and you might want to double the recipe — it’s quite tasty, easy to make and freezes well.