Keep Calm and Bird On: February 2025
“If you don’t look, you don’t see. You have to go and look.”
-Edith Andrews

Thus far this winter has actually been, well, undeniably… wintry. After three years without a hard freeze, it takes a bit of getting used to. And who would venture out if they didn’t have to? Birders, that’s who. Birds are not sitting home watching TV, they are still out there. And Nantucket’s winter bird life looks as different from summer’s as the human crowds of July and August are from bundled-up Islanders.
There is no better time to find unusual gulls, alcids, or sea ducks. True, a telescope vastly improves ocean birding. But, perhaps you might be lucky enough to find “Gull Soup.” This is an unpredictable condition where a near-shore sandbar collects masses of seaweed, plankton, small crustaceans, shrimp, and fish. It draws winter birds like the Juice Bar draws summer humans, and pulls seabirds into easy view.
But what if motivation is lacking? It’s cold. Just replace that word with “invigorating” and keep moving. Wear down clothing, insulated boots, wind-proof hats, and gloves with hand-warmers. Pick your location according to the wind. If blowing strong from the north, you can often find a lee from a south shore dune. Use your car as a windbreak, or do car-birding if the wind blows from every quarter.
But, if nothing works but an easy chair with a hot cuppa and a cozy fire, take advantage of inside time to improve your birding skills. Spend time looking at field guides. Browse possibilities and note what birds catch your eye, your imagination. Look at the field marks. Read about the birds, turn on your Merlin app and listen to them, look at the maps. See where they were, where they are, where they—maybe—will be. Whether you decide to brave the cold, plan a trip, or just wait for summer, study will make you a better birder.
Image by Ginger Andrews
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