Second Visit by the Gray Squirrel
We just had our second visit ever to our backyard feeders by a black phase Gray Squirrel. I wanted to add a picture but it got spooked up a nearby tree by some noise outside. So far it hasn’t returned.
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!
I haven’t seen any Red-bellied or Hairy Woodpeckers in weeks. A neighbor had a risky big old dead tree cut down a while back and I think that dead tree was a home to the bigger woodpeckers.
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!
Stuck my head out the window this evening because I saw one of the feral cats out there but it was off the deck, and that’s when I saw why! BIG raccoon on the deck
Black-capped Chickadees are another one of those overachiever birds. They work hard for their food and energy.
It’s interesting that almost every evening the last birds to show up outside at our backyard feeders are the Northern Cardinals. They come in to the sunflower and safflower feeders chipping away loudly so you can’t miss that they are there!