PaganArtist:

I live in New England, just like you.  In fact, probably < 100 miles from you.  And I see a lot of birds and other animals at my feeder in winter.  They eat and fight, but they don't sing.  They're too busy fighting for survival.  A lot of the cute beasties you see today won't be alive in four months.  That's because winter is also the season for the "dirt mama" to rid herself of the old, sick, and young.

I know I probably sound like the worlds biggest sourpuss right now, but I could really do without the season of white death.