A really weird bird year, 2012 to 2013

by Randy
(Baltimore, Md.)

First, I'm sorry but I wasn't able to get any decent pictures, so there are none here. This past winter season has been the most unusual I've seen here in Baltimore, Maryland. Starting with the robins. Usually, the robins leave by October/November about the same time the leaves come off, & don't return until about the second week in March, which really is the first sign of Spring here. This year, however, they didn't leave. It was really weird looking outside on bitter cold freezing days & seeing robins trying to pull worms out of frozen ground. Next, about the first of January, I saw an odd looking red bird at the feeder & looking closer, realized it was a cardinal with an absolutely bald head on top. Andthere is more than one, because recently I saw another with a mini topknot & an otherwise bald head on top, looked like a Mohican. Know I've got two, because I saw the original baldie at the same time, still bald today (03/25/2013). Also saw a bluebird today, which is rare for my location, the only blue birds here are bluejays, usually. Lastly, Baltimore has gotten very little snow this season until now. We just got at least 4" of very wet snow. I was hoping we would dodge the bullet again this time until I looked in the yard yesterday & saw a pair of Juncos. It's a guarantee that when I see the snow birds, we will get hit, & we did. Haven't seen juncos much this season except for the few times we did get snow. That's all my weird bird news.