Avian Visitors

On Thursday afternoon when the snow was just starting to fall we had many, many birds at the feeders. They have maintained their presence now that everything is under a blanket of six to eight inches of white stuff.

Here are a few of the pictures I took from the deck on Thursday.



Goldfinches have been present in large numbers. They tend to hog the feeders and squabble with the other birds--and one another.



White-breasted Nuthatches generally arrive alone or with one or two others at most. They will climb down the trees and telephone poles--head first, of course--swoop in to steal a seed or a nip of suet and then dart back to the woods.



Downy Woodpeckers also come in on their own or with one or two others. They will hit the suet and, on occasion, the sunflower seeds in the hanging feeders.



Another bird that's present in large numbers is the Dark-eyed Junco. We have mostly the Slate-colored variety around the Aerie but will sometimes see the dusky brown ones as well. They prefer to feed on the ground or the tray feeders. Seldom will they land on one of the perch feeders as they like to scratch for their food.