Four weeks ~ Time flies!

Bad weather brings good birds as the saying goes. It's time to show my cards.

11-12-25 Twenty Common Grackles

Common Grackles came in large numbers a few days. 

11-14-25 House Finch with abnormal bill

An abnormal looking House Finch has been seen only at the bubbler, not on the feeders. To me, it looks like it has a misshapen bill, though it's able to drink. The more we look, the more we see. 

  11-14-25 Illinois River Cruiser

It was warm enough on 11-14-25 for an Illinois River Cruiser to come in and perch on this branch by the pond.

On Wednesday, 11-19-25, I went out to put bark butter on a few trees for the creeper and other birds. The American Crows were fussing loudly a few houses up the street. I thought maybe they'd found an owl to harass. As I worked on one tree by the bubbler pond, I heard something running through the leaves behind me. 

Surprise! 11-19-25

We had seen a Red Fox in the January snow storm, but not since then. They had left the neighborhood when the coyotes moved in a few years ago. What a treat to see this animal with its beautiful, sleek coat as it loped behind me on down to the sump puddle to drink. It was a remarkable encounter. 
 

11-19-25 Red-breasted Nuthatch

The Red-breasted Nuthatch was seen pretty regularly until 11-26-25. Maybe it got an early storm warning and moved a bit south?

11-19-25 Cedar Waxwings

A flock of nine Cedar Waxwings came to the bubbler on 11-19-25. The bird on the left is an immature bird, still growing out tail feathers. And, the second bird has orange tips instead of yellow, due to eating invasive honeysuckle berries. Often, these birds cannot find the native fruits that are needed in their diet, like viburnum,  dogwood, serviceberry and mulberry. They supplement their fruit diet with protein-rich insects.

11-19-25 Brown Creeper 11-19-25 Dark-eyed Junco

Well, the bark butter was found by the Brown Creeper, Dark-eyed Juncos and others. Though they are ground feeders, the juncos will cling just long enough to get some of this protein rich mixture.


11-19-25 Red-winged Blackbird

The first Red-winged Blackbird of the season came in with a few Common Grackles on 11-19-25. 

11-19-25 Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebirds continue to come to the window feeders and stop by to get quick baths. 

11-21-25 White-breasted Nuthatch

Change was in the air, the feeders had gotten a lot busier at this point. I put up the peanut feeder and the White-breasted Nuthatch quickly found it. The Red-breasted Nuthatch also grabbed a peanut chunk but got away before I could photograph it. 

9-26-20 FOS Summer Tanager female

The suet feeder had been attracting a lot of species. To my surprise, a female Summer Tanager, looking very much like the mustard colored bird in this archive photo, briefly perched on top of the feeder at 8:05 a.m. on 11-26-25.
 

11-26-25 Hairy Woodpecker female

I was just getting focused on it when this female Hairy Woodpecker chased it away! There are later records for the Summer Tanager, but it would have been nice to get a photo. Some days there's just too much going on. 

11-26-25 FOY #111 Pine Siskin

Less than half an hour later, the first Pine Siskin of the year (#111) flew up from the bubbler. Lucky me this time! As it often happens, the bird has not been seen since. Some irruption years, we'll see small flocks feeding or bathing together. Perhaps we'll see more.

  11-27-25 Bubble 11-27-25 Basin Bubble
11-28-25 Rudy at the Grab 'n Go table

Almost Thanksgiving Day! The bubbler and pond filters were clean, water topped off and Rudy was ready on the Grab 'n Go table. That evening, our new friend surprised the resident pair of Virginia opossum.

11-27-25 Happy Thanksgiving!

"Wanna play?" It's fun to see these interactions, isn't it?

11-28-25 Rudy

About 4:08 p.m on Friday, 11-28-25, we were sitting in the family room when that female Summer Tanager came back! It was maybe twelve feet from me, perched on Rudy's head, checking out the bark butter and scanning the  table to see what fare was to be had when a pair of Eastern Bluebirds swooped down and chased it off!  The snow would begin by 3:00 a.m. I had hoped the tanager would stick around and get some food, but we didn't see it again.

11-29-25 Northern Flicker at Rudy's feeding station 11-29-25 Brown Creeper 11-29-25 Downy Woodpecker at Rudy's tail The Northern Flicker, Brown Creeper and Downy Woodpecker were three of twenty-one species that day along with 4-5" of snow, then sleet and some rain.

11-29-25 Squirrel tucked in

It was a pretty snowfall.

12-9-25

This morning, our front door camera captured the Red Fox again.

I wonder if there is only one... Happy Holidays!