Another beautiful day at the Aerie

We are enjoying another sunny day here at the Aerie. The only drawback is that the temperatures are around 30 degrees colder than they were yesterday. The high for the day was 33 degrees just after midnight but the mercury went into free fall after that plummeting to 13 degrees at 8 AM. It's since crept up to 16 degrees but the slight breeze makes it feel frigid even in the sunlight.

We had two interesting birds outside today. Several Common Redpolls have finally made their way to the feeders. They were common, indeed, all of last winter and the winter before but this winter had proven quite elusive. While Terry and I were checking the Redpolls out, I noticed a reddish-brown patch in the pine tree to the northwest of the house. It turned out to be the breast of a Cooper's Hawk. Undoubtedly, he too was checking out the smaller birds at the feeder while enjoying the bright sunlight. I attempted to get out on the porch to photograph the hawk as the light was nearly perfect, but he didn't like me stepping outside. As soon as I closed the sliding glass door, he launched himself into the air, spread his wings and tail (and a nicely rounded, banded tail it was!) and circled up and away from the house. As I hadn't turned on the camera before opening the door, there was no chance for even a wing shot. That makes two new birds at the Aerie this week--the Red-bellied Woodpecker and the Cooper's Hawk.

All the regular customers are still eating the black-oil sunflower seeds and Niger thistle as fast as I can fill the feeders. Over 5 pounds of sunflower seeds have gone outside each and every day. There are lots and lots of Pine Siskins, American Goldfinches, Mourning Doves, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Black-capped Chickadees. Then, in no particular order, we have Blue Jays, Tufted Titmice, Northern Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-Breasted Nuthatch, and Purple Finches.

I have to say that the male Cardinals and Purple Finches are looking very bright in their red plummage but on the cold, gray days of winter, even the Blue Jay's color (if not his sloppy feeding habits and bullying) can be appreciated.