The Bird Feeder

i've been hearing woodcock calling out back ,hard to get a visual on them

red wings and grackles showed up last week up here as well.  I've got a couple white throated sparrows in too!

watched  a belted kingfisher plunk into the small pond just a while ago.  big pond still has ice

blue heron yesterday evening in the small pond.seemed to be having good luck fishing

Six or more turkeys on Peaceful Valley Road as I left this afternoon. I had to slow and wait for 4 there were others already across in the woods.

a woodcock was in the field next to our house on Wednesday evening.  It was making the mating call!

confirmed for sure this weekend

hairy woodpecker and the downey at the same time!
American tree sparrow
song sparrow
common red pole
whitebreasted nuthatch

a pair of green winged teal in the small pond this morning

white throated sparrow is back!

and a fat gray squirrel is sitting on top of my grill three feet away from me as I type this!

Just taken about 20 minutes ago out my back window. The hawk took the squirrel right off the ground and flew to the maple.

awesome!  just awesome!

It has been a feeding frenzy at our feeder today. The resident chickadees and nuthatches are probably cheeping "WTF? Where did all these hungry birds come from?" All at the same time, in great numbers:

black-capped chickadee
white-breased nuthatch
redpoll (m&f)
junco
chipping sparrow
white-throated sparrow

plus a new resident, the black squirrel. The red squirrels and chippies will not be pleased.

and of course, robins hopping around the yard.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

It has been a feeding frenzy at our feeder today.

I love this time of year @ the feeders!  We got one of them black squirrels hanging around too.     

hudson -that nature stuff is great to see

sj- this is the best time in birding

new arrivals:
flicker
titmouse
song sparrow

kingfisher working the pond again today

Ospreys are back over the river. They live on the power pole across the river. No photo yet.

NOTABLE NOTABLE!!!!

On Sunday morning a female Rufous-sided towhee spent time @ the feeder!  It was awesome!!  

nice sighting , towhee make such a racket digging thru the leaves

have a phoebe dipping  its tail and calling

Some new sparrows today, hanging out with numerous juncos:

tree sparrow

fox sparrow - aggressive bugger he is

The junco is the Canadian of the bird world: quietly eating all the seeds while the other birds fuss and fight.

Loons have been heard.

Birding at this time of year is like watching the hockey playoffs.

adding :
goldfinch
barn swallow
cowbird
white throated sparrow

saw a woodcock in daylight around the pond
robin building a nest in the wood pile

This morning I saw a most unusual bird in my backyard. I have never seen one before but after an online search I have determined it to be a Northern Flicker. I tried to get a picture but as soon as I cracked the back door open it flew away dammit! Maybe they are not that rare but it's the first time I've seen one!

green heron has returned
two snapping turtles spent sat aft -  eve ' wrestling' in the small pond