Winter Bounty

After a light January snowfall, I headed to the Susquehanna wetlands hoping to capture birds framed by snow or softened winter light. Much of the walk was quiet, the landscape hushed and still, until I reached a wooded stretch near the end of the trail. There, a mixed flock of sparrows suddenly came alive, darting through dead grasses and tangled shrubs. I paused and watched, letting the scene unfold, before positioning myself partially behind a tree with a clear view of a winterberry bush. The patience paid off. A pair of White-throated Sparrows—along with a Carolina Wren—moved deliberately through the branches, plucking bright red berries against the muted backdrop of snow and bare limbs. It was a quiet, intimate moment of winter survival, where stillness, color, and persistence came together in perfect balance.