The juncoes moved in with the cold front on Sunday. They started in a trickle and this morning there are 50+ in the yard! Some might find their colors drab, but I think they are elegant little birds. Their bills and feet look especially pink against the snow.
Brisk winds and temperatures in the upper 20's sparked a feeding frenzy in the back yard. These goldfinches were bickering over thistle rights, while others were in a holding pattern in the lilacs waiting for an open spot.
This downy chased off a hairy to get a this suet feeder. Cheeky little bugger!
The white-throated sparrows have been around for about two weeks now. I look foreward to their arrival, scratching around the yard. This one was enjoying a sun-dried tomato (fell off the vine and dried on the patio!). I've noticed that their "Poor Sam Peabody" song sounds very puny and watery this fall. Is it the season? Any ideas?
Any ideas what kind of predator got this bird? Art found this heap of feathers this morning (6AM) in the front yard near the pine trees and the basketball hoop. The pile was actually more compact than is pictured, as the breeze had picked up and tussled them a bit. There was no blood, no tissue, no beak or feet. Only a compact pile of feathers.
Well, I can check another item off of my life wish list. I got to touch a flying squirrel! I have had a fascination (bordering on obsession) with flying squirrels for a few years since I first saw them in my back yard. A family of four moved into this very expensive carved bird house. On closer inspection, they had chewed the nostril to enlarge the entrance, but I didn't care because I had never seen such beautiful little creatures. We learned to time it so we would stand by the tree when the squirrels left the house for their night of hunting and gathering food. They seemed not to mind our presence at all. They were hard to keep an eye on though because they are FAST.
Sadly, they abandoned this nest after the gray squirrels sniffed out their food stash. I feel partly to blame because I had put out so many nuts for the flyers. This spring we hung a "flying squirrel condo" - it's amazing what you can find on ebay! A few weeks ago we found that flyers had moved in!
On Saturday my favorite bird store had a presentation by a fellow who owns several flying squirrels. Just look at that face! I had read that flying squirrel fur is very soft. This little guy's fur felt like warm silk.
I just finished a long and difficult weekend working nights in a local trauma center. I need to see something pretty. Don't have much to say though.
Joe-Pye weed.
Square-stemmed Monkey Flower.
Dock-leaved Smartweed.
This fern was four feet tall. I really need to get up north. 
This gorgeous Cooper's hawk has been buzzing the feeder station all summer, and finally she landed long enough for me to drink in a good long look. 
The feeder station (converted swing set) is about 6 feet to the left of this shed (converted play house!).
The yard is dead silent when she's around. 
She hopped down the fence to the right of the shed. In front of her is a brush pile that the songbirds like. She watched that pile for quite some time looking for movement. In the past I've seen her punch down into that brush pile trying to shake out a meal.
He uses his long, curved bill to noisily flip over rocks and leaves.
He has spent A LOT of time stuffing himself with suet.
I feed mealworms in the cups of this jelly feeder. It took him only a few minutes to find the mealworms after I put some out and he empties the feeder whenever I fill it!
It's been fun watching the thrasher interact with the gray squirrels. Just after the photo above, they had a face-off. After a few seconds and lots of squirrel chatter, the thrasher charged the squirrel and ran it off! GO THRASHER!! Stay as long as you like.
Hey you! Get out of here! Some privacy please. 
