Two weeks ago we were still in November and the temperature was in the 40’s. Today is December 10, and the outside temperature in St. Peter this morning was 7 degrees below zero (-22 with windchill). Thanks to a snowstorm riding a strong cold front that has affected virtually all of the country, most of southern Minnesota is now covered in at least half a foot of snow (8 inches here in St. Peter). Accompanying the heavy snowfall were winds gusting up to 40 miles per hour on Wednesday, which resulted in a campus opening delay of several hours. Below is a photo of these conditions as seen in the Arb around noon yesterday.
Looking west from the Interpretive Center into the snowstorm, 12/9/09.
Now that their natural food sources are probably well buried under ice and snow, birds have begun making frequent visits to the feeders in the Bird and Butterfly Garden behind the Interpretive Center (kept full by our eager staff of student workers). Today the suet feeder, four sunflower feeders, and two thistle (nyjer) feeders have been attracting frequent visits by the following birds:
– A dozen or so Black-capped Chickadees
– Two White-breasted Nuthatches (male and female)
– At least one Red-breasted Nuthatch
– Several Dark-eyed Juncos
– A male Northern Cardinal
– A female House Finch
– Two House Sparrows (male and female)
OMG!! I SPOTTED 2 TURTLE DOVES AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE!!