Larks Awaiting Spring

Western Meadowlark photo by John and Karen Hollingsworth:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The three-day, mid-April snow that drove the larks away from their soap boxes at the Reservoir resulted in the death by starvation of hundreds, if not thousands, of robins. Some robins stay in Boulder year round, while a lot more show up in the spring, contributing to a lot of competition, especially during prolonged snow events. While the snow melted within a few days, it was too late for many birds caught in mid-mating season.

The week after that three-day-event, another snowstorm dumped several more inches. Today, April 30, they’re predicting four to seven inches of snow overnight. While a few of the larks returned to the Res to sing from the top of their territory, at least one did not make it. I found his body a hundred yards up the hill from the beach, resting on a knapweed; the bright gold tummy feathers attracted me and I saw the beautiful black V coat of arms on his chest, the mark that showed off to the girls what a handsome fellow he was. I wondered how much extra food it might have taken to tide him over. For a three-ounce creature, maybe half an ounce of extra body fat would have meant survival into the glorious spring.

An extra month of winter isn’t much fun for anyone, though it did bring this winter’s snow pack to 95% of normal, which will be a big relief during the summer fire season. How did our ancestors survive Ice Age winters that went on forever and then cut into spring again and again? When the food had run out and there was no more to be had? My great, great grandmothers knew all about starvation. The ones that made it became our ancestors. I look at my extra pounds with more respect. I complain about having to lose weight, but those pounds are the reason I am here at all.