Speaking of Nature: Bare feet, a bald eagle, and ‘Wrenly Baratheon’: Celebrating a record-setting winter bird count with the launch of a new podcast, ‘Audio Postcards’

I have so much to tell you. Dec. 31, 2025 started out on a high note. I was a guest on WHMP’s Talk The Talk radio show and I had a wonderful time talking about all of the great things that happened in 2025. My segment of the show started at 8:35 a.m. and at that time I was still desperate to set a new record for the month of December.

For the previous three years, I managed to observe a total of 31 species of birds from within the confines of my yard and I really wanted to set a new record. The problem was that it wasn’t entirely up to me.

I can sit at my kitchen window — the winter edition of my “thinking chair” — for as long as I want, but the birds still have to cooperate by making themselves seen or heard. I had commented on the radio that if just one of the many birds that are collectively known as “Winter Finches” would show up, then I would set a new record. But it was not to be. None of the finches made an appearance. However, I was spectacularly lucky to set a new record anyway!

The magic happened at 10:09:24. I was sitting at my kitchen window, carefully scrutinizing every American goldfinch and house finch for signs of one of the “Winter Finches” hiding in their midst, when I saw a large bird approaching from the east. The local crows had been visiting my driveway for treats, but this “crow” seemed a bit off. The instant the bird flapped its wings I understood. It wasn’t a crow — it was a bald eagle!

Up came my camera and I fired off four quick photos in less than a second. Then the bird passed behind some spruce trees and I ran outside into the snow in my bare feet. I rounded the corner of the garage and caught sight of the eagle — now to the west of my house — and I fired off a few more photos.

Exultant, I returned to the house the object of simultaneous admiration and fascination. My feet were white with snow and my wife’s family simply couldn’t believe what my Scandinavian blood had just allowed me to do, but that was nothing compared to the bald eagle; the X-Factor species that set a new record. The fourth photo was the best of the bunch, but I was on the fence about its sharpness. It just wasn’t quite good enough to publish.

The following day was Jan. 1 and by 8:40 a.m. I was at the window and ready to start a New Year. The best performance of any previous Jan. 1 was 18 species of birds in 2024. Could I do better? Only time would tell.

The morning was already well underway by the time I dragged myself out of bed, but the sky was clear of clouds and the birds seemed ravenously hungry. All of “the regulars” were in attendance and my morning list grew very quickly. In less than an hour I had 18 species, but they kept on coming. By 9:53 a.m., I had 20 species and one of them was a Carolina wren.

This is not an unusual bird for our area, but it is somewhat new to my higher-altitude home. There were only sightings of this species between 2005 and 2024, but then something changed and the wrens started to become regulars. At this point, I think I can safely call them residents and they certainly do add a splash of extra excitement to the yard. There is one individual that seems to be a daily member of the horde and I have named him “Wrenly Baratheon.” If you ever watched Game of Thrones, then you get the joke.

Finally, I am very excited to announce the launch of the Speaking of Nature podcast. This companion piece to my weekly column will include extra content that I might not be able to adequately describe with my writing. As an example: What does Wrenly Baratheon sound like? Difficult to describe in print, but easy to share with sound. I have invested in some recording equipment and I have spent three months collecting ambient sound from right outside my kitchen window. Some of it is amazing and it will be released in weekly episodes.

I am also going to release a separate set of episodes that I am calling “Audio Postcards.” These will be short, five-minute clips of the sounds I hear on Saturday mornings. If it is winter, then you’ll hear the bustle around my feeders. If it is summertime, then you will hear the sounds I hear in the wet meadow where my “thinking chair” is located. If I am on vacation, then you’ll hear what the ocean on Cape Cod sounds like, or the sounds of the forests on Grand Cayman Island. I’m really excited about this and I hope you’ll give it a listen.

So that’s where things stand for me right now. I finished 2025 with a last-minute record because of the ridiculously brief appearance of a bald eagle, and then I started off strong with my best start to any Jan. 1, with the help of a new “regular” at my feeders. There is so much beauty in the world and everyone can have the joy of discovering something new at any moment. Let’s make 2026 a good one!

Bill Danielson has been a professional writer and nature photographer for 28 years. He has worked for the National Park Service, the US Forest Service, the Nature Conservancy and the Massachusetts State Parks and he currently teaches high school biology and physics. For more information visit www.speakingofnature.com, Speaking of Nature on Facebook, or search for the Speaking of Nature Podcast.