Backyard Visitors - Revised

Since most of my life is spent doing dishes, I might as well tie it in with something I enjoy! During these last few bitterly cold weeks, I placed two feeders in the tree just outside the window over my kitchen sink, a seed feeder and a suet cage. Then I set my camera up on the windowsill, and just . . . waited.

On sunny days, there is nonstop traffic at the feeders. In addition to the raucous blue jays, swarms of starlings, and flocks of grackles, there have been several delightful visitors. The Downy Woodpecker has been the rarest sighting so far.
The chicken is still hanging around. She loves cheerios.

The squirrels have been relentless in their attempts to empty the seed feeder. Sometimes I put out a pile of sunflower seeds, or mixed nuts (in shell), just to throw the pitiful losers a bone. I can't stand squirrels. Long story.




These are some of the best shots I've gotten so far. The picture should enlarge if you click on it.


Addendum: February 8, 2010

A GREAT day for backyard birdwatching! Three never-before-seen varieties made an appearance today: a female Downy Woodpecker, a Nuthatch, and an American Goldfinch! I thought the Goldfinches always migrated south for the winter! Anyway, I have no idea if this was a male or female, since their coloring is very similar in winter. The Nuthatch was a nice treat, as well. The picture in the center, without any notation, is of European Starlings who decided to maraud the feeders that day. And we've had several male house finches with their mating plumage.

The new pictures are a bit fuzzier than I'd like, but that's because my camera is on the missing list (Kids. Ruin. Everything.) and the one I used doesn't have the zoom capacity. Frownie face.