It's the last day of the year, and it has been a very good year here in our small sanctuary. The final tally stands at 112 species, with 28 warblers in the mix and 90 species at our water features. Tomorrow, the new year list begins.

A few interesting things have happened since I posted last. On Christmas Eve morning, I checked the video clips from the Gazebo and Bubbler cams, as usual. This clip made me curious, I thought it was a fox at first. Watch for the animal in the upper right corner of the frame.

Coyote on Gazebo cam 12-24-18

I couldn't be sure, so Dan checked the Trail cam, which is out in the garden. It was soon clear that the animal was a coyote. We had last caught a video clip on 10-18-17, over a year ago. Look for the animal on the left side of the frame.

Coyote on Trail cam 12-24-18 at 6:18 am

The Red-breasted Nuthatches had not been seen since 12-17-18. The weather had been relatively mild, so I assumed they had been having luck finding insects and other seeds to eat. We had put up the small peanut feeder in hopes that they would come back in and find it, and on 12-29-18, two birds were seen there. 

Red-breasted Nuthatch 12-29-18

Red-breasted Nuthatch 12-29-18 Possible Female/male Red-breasted Nuthatches 12-29-18

This is the type of situation where photographs really help. The bird that came in on the left most of the time is a bit paler and may be a female. It's just so much fun for us to see these birds since we don't get them every winter.

It was just warm enough yesterday for a few birds to get in and bathe, at 40 degrees! A Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee and Brown Creeper took the plunge.

Tufted Titmouse 12-30-18 Carolina Chickadee 12-30-18 Brown Creeper 12-30-18

Woodpeckers have been active, too. Red-bellied, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers have all been coming in for tidbits.

Red-bellied Woodpecker 12-29-18 Hairy Woodpecker 12-30-18 Downy Woodpecker 12-30-18

...We wish you all a Happy and Healthy 2019...

Northern Cardinal 12-30-18