Breakfast time or is it day-long brunch?

As I look out to the deck this morning to see what visitors are nearby, this female hairy woodpecker completely ignores me as she buries a seed in the bark.

The tree - a Siberian elm that I allowed to grow from its hedge form to replace an American elm, is obviously dying. It will go in the spring. It's roots have invaded my septic system for one thing, but more important the birds have been using it as storage and have hastened its decline.


However breakfast time seems to be now brunch - birds don't come out of that semi-hibernative state they go into overnight when it's cold. It's closer to 9:30 when the birds hit the feeders, rather than dawn. And I've been so fortunate to see so many around despite the rainy/snowy weather.

My first post on my return to writing this blog was about wishing for snow - well it came true. That night it surprised me with about an inch of wet snow. Then last night more snow, just a touch, but a bit of white to promise a white Christmas. Yesterday it rained and snowed most of the day, but I counted more than 30 American goldfinches either on the deck or in the trees and shrubs nearby. Regular visitors throughout the day are the three pairs of hairy woodpeckers, the many bluejays - I think there are at least four in residence in the blue spruce, and several nuthatches. Downie woodpeckers chased each other on the wall of the drive shed yesterday, seeking more spots to put seeds I assume. They've drilled holes in the north side and I suspect that the south is about to get its turn.

With five feeders out, they are all well attended. Several house sparrows - I counted 25 and gave up as they flitted around - have made homes in the cedar hedge in front and the junipers. Bliss delights in chasing them from tree to shrub to bush and back to tree - it's a game that the birds seem to get as well. Chickadees wait for him to show up underneath their tree and lead him a merry chase.

There have been white crowned sparrows, juncos and American tree sparrows, a family of red-bellied woodpeckers who come in separately, and to my utter delight - a beautiful bright red male cardinal.

Sometimes brunch runs all day long - but by 3:30 or so, all except one or three of the myriad chickadees have gone to find a warm place to sleep. Truly a bird-watcher/lover's paradise. I am so blessed. Hope you enjoy something special today.

The female hairy woodpecker buries another seed, and a blue jay watches from the feeder in the archway. You can easily see that the suet blocks in the little red holder are being devoured. And the birds have taken most of the sunflower seeds on the rail. Enjoy your day!

Getting along

About a week ago we had nearly a foot of heavy wet snow. There were lots of birds at my feeders - especially the woodpeckers who love the suet that goes out, whatever kind I buy or make.

Usually when a large hairy woodpecker lands on the feeder all the other birds flee to a nearby twig or branch to wait it out as they can be irritable. However this day, the blue jay landed... it's obvious the woodpecker was somewhat affronted by the bigger bird landing on his feeder. But the blue jay ignored him and calmly continued searching out sunflower seeds ignoring its usual treat: the suet.

I watched for a bit out the window, marvelling at how in almost all species there are days when everyone seems to get along and not pick a fight, and other days when you better watch where you step and what you say.

It seems to me that this particular day of harmony is a good one for me to remember when I get cranky...the woodpecker seemed to take a deep breath, and then continued pecking at his treat. The blue jay the same and they left together allowing the little birds to land and snack.

Some days it's good for me to take a deep breath and carry on.

Some days I wish everyone in the world would take a deep breath and stop fighting over the feeders. That seems like a pipe dream today - but maybe one day?

In the meantime I'm going to enjoy watching the birds at my feeders, the dogs as they play in what little snow there is, and all the other creatures I get to see in this lovely countryside. Hope you get a chance to enjoy things as well, and that there's no fighting at your feeders.

Patience is a virtue

Since the photogenic and lovely birds the rose-breasted grosbeaks have arrived at the feeders, I've tried to get many pictures. One day I had a large number of them dropping by.

But on this particular day, I watched as one of the pair of males waited patiently while a hairy woodpecker male chose its favourite seeds from the hopper feeder.

The grosbeak didn't have to wait long, perhaps a minute or two before the woodpecker moved off. They traded places often over the next few minutes.

And then at another feeder, a pair of grosbeaks eat peacefully with the smaller goldfinch. I guess size does matter. And perhaps ferocity.

Woodpeckers, bluejays and grackles seem to be the terrors of the feeder world, chasing other birds away, or making them move to one side while they have their way with whatever goodies are presented for eating - suet and seed in winter, just seeds in spring and summer.

About seeds, I was going through a huge bag of seed once a week, and was thinking the time is coming that I won't be doing this much longer... way too expensive.

However the birds themselves seem to be cutting back.

Or perhaps they've moved on and don't need to eat so much. Black oil sunflower seeds are rich in fats that the small birds require for those bitter mornings to keep them going. But the number at the deck rail, or the other feeders these past couple of weeks with such beautiful weather, has diminished. Today may tell the tale - it's cool, rainy (again) and not nearly as pleasant.

Ah spring - such a fickle season. Yet still my favourite.

The morning was filled with birds

Because I had to take these images through my window, they are sort of blurry and cloudy, but in this photograph  if you look really closely there is a cardinal in the tray of the feeder in the foreground. This is an occasional visitor I believe... and frankly with cardinals being a family favourite - I'm really pleased that he has risked the long flight from a nearby valley to come for a visit.
Yesterday was very cold - with the threat of snow, and so all my feeders right round the house were full of birds. The minute I went outside, they flew away, so I settled for trying to capture some of them through the window. It was a complete delight to see them fluttering and when I opened a window or walked around later the sound of wings flitting from one branch to another, one tree to another seemed like miniature drumming.
So here and below is a small sample of a few of the visitors...

Two woodpeckers hop up my scotch pine towards a deep tray  feeder where a cardinal eats sunflower seeds inside. There were at least two pairs of hairy woodpeckers and three of downies throughout the day. The cardinal is a rare sight, and hardly visible here.

A hairy woodpecker sorts through the seeds to select its favourite on the small cage feeder . Watching the woodpeckers fling seeds from this feeder, hanging on, tail tucked under for balance is such a treat. They make me laugh as they select a seed, then head for a tree branch and either tuck it into a hole for a later meal or can't wait and crack it open against the bark.

American goldfinches grab breakfast at the tube feeder and the small cage feeder in the background (lower left). There were at least 100 small birds yesterday including English sparrows, American tree sparrows, juncos, nuthatches that were joined by about a dozen mourning doves, a selection of blue jays - (I have to get some peanuts for them), many woodpeckers and a couple of dozen chickadees who are all residents of this property or the nearby hedgerows. Such a welcome sight on a cold and snowy day.