Overnight we had a few inches of fluffy snow, and the morning was quiet without wind, so the trees and bushes held delicate traceries of snow. My bird for today is a White-throated Sparrow, which, while it does breed in Connecticut, is seen in winter in larger numbers. I've shown it perched on a twig of yellow birch, with dormant leaf buds and catkins, and a puff of fluffy snow.

White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
on Yellow Birch, Betula alleghaniensis

For us here in New England, there are certain birds that really demarcate the change of season to winter. The junco is one (used to be called the snow bird) and another is the Horned Lark, which arrives on Horsebarn Hill in a flock numbering 50-80 birds. It's strictly a bird of open areas, which HBH has plenty of. Jorge's flock this afternoon was about 80 individuals.

Horned Lark, Eremophila alpestris, Horsebarn Hill, UConn campus

Horned Lark, Eremophila alpestris, Horsebarn Hill, UConn campus