We're off!

First little snow has fallen with a bit more to come soon. Thirty species of birds have checked in for January.

1-1-24 Cedar Waxwing

A Cedar Waxwing stopped in at the bubbler, waiting for a turn with a large flock of American Robins.

  1-1-24 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1-1-24 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet continues to come in every day, checking all the food sources. It spied the bark butter/peanut butter mix on Rudy, and in typical style, hovered to grab some. This is how this bird looks for insects on leaves.

1/1/24 Blue Jay 1/124 White-throated Sparrow

Rudy and the Grab 'n Go table continue to be popular with birds as large as Blue Jays as well as medium sized sparrows, like this White-throated.

1-1-24 Pine Siskins

Pine Siskins are around every day now, visiting the bubbler or when temperatures drop, the feeders, too.

1-1-24 Leucistic American Robin 1-1-24 Six American Robins 1-1-24 Leucistic American Robin flanked by two robins

A flock of 50+ American Robins came in on NewYear's Day. Among them was a leucistic male, easy to spot with the white feathers lacking melanin!

1-1-24 Brown Creeper

Around lunchtime, I was watching the bubbler and said to Dan, "I'm just waiting for the Brown Creeper to show up, it usually comes in about now." And, no kidding, right then it came from behind the little oak tree to get a drink. Birds are creatures of habit like so many animals.

  1-2-24 American Crow

On 1/2/24, there were eleven American Crows in the yard, and three came to the bubbler. It took years before they would take a chance. Smart and wary birds!

  1-3-24 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

On 1/3/24 the first Yellow-bellied Sapsucker of the year was seen looking for sap on the sugar maple. Since then, I've also seen a female which has the white throat.

1-5-24 Red-bellied Woodpecker

Speaking of bellies, the Red-bellied Woodpeckers are regulars. This is the female with its red washed belly. The male's will be much more pronounced come spring.

1-6-24 First snow, squirrel in front of Christmas tree

Thanks to our young neighbor, Jack and his dad, Nick, for bringing their Christmas tree over. It is in the woodland now for added shelter for the birds. The Dark-eyed Juncos used it in the first snow, and the squirrel seen here wasted no time finding seed underneath it.

1-6-24 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

1-6-24 Three Pine Siskins

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet was back after the snow, and so were the Pine Siskins.

1-6-24 White-breasted Nuthatch 1-6-24 White-breasted Nuthatch

The White-breasted Nuthcatch came down to get a good bath one day. That doesn't happen often with this species. 

1-8-24 New brush pile

Yesterday, I added another brush pile near a feeding station, using branches that had dropped from our pin oak, covered with evergreens that had been in the porch pots. 

1-8-24 Carolina Wren 1-8-24 Dark-eyed Junco 1-8-24 White-throated Sparrow 'Approved' brush pile

It got the full seal of approval from the Carolina Wrens, Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows.

1-8-24 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

The Kinglet keeps checking food sources, like the bark butter on this oak tree. Today, I saw it back on the suet cake.

  1-8-24 White-breasted Nuthatch

The White-breasted Nuthatch followed close behind the kinglet.

1-8-24 American Goldfinches flank House Finches and Pine Siskin

Sure wish I understood what goes through the birds' heads when it's about to rain or snow and they absolutely have to jump in together to get baths! Not privy to this information! These are all finches, American Goldfinches, House Finches and the lone Pine Siskin that is just taking off.

1-8-24 Pine Siskin

All of you know this one by now, the Pine Siskin, getting a drink before the rain. Light snow is falling as I write. We'll see what tomorrow brings!