Another first at our backyard feeders, this big male Red-bellied Woodpecker bypassed the peanuts and suet to eat whole sunflower seeds on our feeder! It was unexpected and interesting to watch it try to figure out how to get the seeds out of the screen feeders used by so many smaller birds. It appeared to swallow the sunflower seeds whole like the Blue Jays do.
No birds outside so I step out the door expecting the yellow feral cat only to once again spook a small Cooper’s Hawk out of the pine tree on the edge of our deck.
I keep watching the vast array of House Finches looking for a Purple Finch among them to no avail so far. But some of the male House Finches are somewhat beautiful though common as House Sparrows
These Northern forest dwellers, the Pine Siskins, had never stopped by our urban backyard feeders before two seasons ago when 2 of the cute little birds showed up. They’re about the same size as a large Goldfinch
Was on Lake Ovid today fishing, and watching a juvenile Great Blue Heron fishing up a storm on the humps. It was standing in deep water almost swimming, and every once in awhile would dart its head and snap up another small bluegill!
Either we had a Chipping Sparrow nest nearby or I guess it could just be passing through because now we have a juvenile Chipping Sparrow on the deck! It just showed up a few days ago and may be gone already now.
Black-capped Chickadees are another one of those overachiever birds. They work hard for their food and energy.