Winter Winding Down

In this part of southern Wisconsin, we have had 64.7 inches of snow so far this winter (the normal average for this date is 39″). It has been a fabulous winter for those of us who thrive on winter sports or just love the spectacle of being in a real, live snow globe.

During the winter at Eagle Optics, we hunker down, turn up the heat a little, and keep busy. We inspect and test out new binoculars (such as the Vortex Viper HD and the new Eagle Optics Ranger ED, available soon); we chat with people who call to buy binos for trips to far-flung sunny destinations; we fill the bird feeders and monitor our feathered visitors from the store window –you may recall we entertained over 200 visitors who came to get a glimpse of the Golden-crowned Sparrow that hung around our feeders for 10 days over the holidays.

A couple of us have the great fortune of setting up shop at birding festivals such as the Spacecoast Birding and Nature Festival, Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, and San Diego Birding Festival, to name a few. April will bring more shows at which to share our optics knowledge and catch up with old friends.

This week, after a mixture of cold, sun, snow melt, and ice forming, we were given a gift: a signal that spring really might be coming. A Red-winged Blackbird showed up at our feeder. The next day, there were two. Then a Common Grackle made its appearance, and today I saw a dozen American Robins in an open field on my way to work. These early arrivals warm our hearts, but it is only the beginning of March. We’re keeping our snug apparel handy. Wisconsinites know: winter isn’t over yet.

Originally published on March 4, 2011