At this time of year, many birds are simply trying to avoid winter's maw. Only those insectivores that have chosen a wintering area with ample food supplies will make it to the spring migration. Small gleaners, such as the Brown Creeper, must search for leftover caterpillars and arthropods in bark crevices by day. After this arduous daily existence, they must seek companions to huddle with at night.

The same can be said for the tiny Golden-crowned Kinglets. Eastern Bluebirds will spend the days foraging along ditches and wetland, but head to communal roosting sites at night. Winter Wrens may still be found inspecting mulch piles and shrubby streamsides. The Carolina Wren, however, often becomes a regular at feeders. While the wren cannot crack seeds open, it does look for ones with broken hulls to extract its nourishment.

Suet feeders provide lifesaving energy sources to our local woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches and titmice. The long-avoided fruits of nonnative trees and shrubs such as the European Mountain-ash, finally relinquish their bounty to roving gangs of desperate waxwings, robins and bluebirds. February has proved to be as good a month as any for a late invasion of Common Redpolls or crossbills. Feeder watchers need to keep on their toes, if they want to find these specialties. Also, we all hope these folks let everyone know if these snappy-looking birds from the North are in town.

Along Lake Erie, gulls and waterfowl still dominate the birdlife at the beginning of the month. The hearty birdwatcher is often rewarded with outstanding looks at Thayer's Iceland, Lesser Black-backed and Glaucous Gulls as they gorge on the dying Gizzard Shad at any of the warm water outlets associated with the production of electricity. This feeding frenzy has a history of abruptly ending when the birds simultaneously leave to molt into their next set of vexing plumages.

As in January, trips to rural sectors of the region can provide excellent viewing of Northern Harriers and Rough-legged Hawks. Depending on the availability of open water, the end of February usually produces a sizable buildup of diving ducks. The courtship antics of Common Goldeneyes, Buffleheads, Common and Red-breasted Mergansers provide an interesting, if not amusing, respite from the winter's doldrums.

February also brings the mournful calls of the Great Horned Owl and the winnowing cries of the Eastern Screech-Owl to the attention of those who enjoy a nighttime stroll in a local park. Some Short-eared and Northern Saw-whet Owls may move north at this time, and it is a good practice to inspect tangles at any Lake Erie site for these two handsome predators. As the month wears on, migrating Horned Larks, Song Sparrows and blackbirds become conspicuous, especially along the Lake Erie shoreline.

Inland, visits to marshes or boggy wetlands with some open water may reveal a wintering Virginia Rail or Common Yellowthroat. Upon the first indications of a sustained thawing, American Woodcocks will be heard in courtship flights in the southern sector of the region. No bird watcher who has watched the courtship flights of the “timberdoodle” has ever regretted it. These birds can be seen readily at many of the regional metroparks and rural areas. As an example, Tinker's Creek State Park, near Aurora, will come alive approximately one half hour past sunset with the ‘peenting’ and displays of these charming upland birds.