SJ Rozan

Snow swirling out of fog on the river this morning. Gulls flying low, staying close to the railing. Two Gadwalls padddled by with snow on their backs. None of the winter birds are here yet; must still be warm up where they live, so there’s still food. This is troubling in a long-term, climate-change way. Meanwhile, down here, the callery pear trees are full of robins, sometimes eight or ten in a tree. Callery pears are planted for their gorgeous blossoms, but they do have tiny little fruits. They’re hard as rocks until after they freeze and thaw. Then they’re mushy and the robins make quite a living on them until spring. The city planting so many callery pears may be one of the reasons our robins don’t migrate any more. Birds leave when the food’s gone and up here in the banquet that’s NYC, the food’s never gone.