Birds Today

[AgentOrange]

46 degrees - 3PM to 4PM

Pine Warbler
Titmouse
Carolina Wren
House Finch
Chickadee
Cardinal
Towhee
Blue Jay
Downy Woodpecker
Gold Finch
Mockingbird
Purple Finch
Red-bellied Nuthatch
White-bellied Nuthatch
Dove
Red-headed Woodpecker
Ruby Kinglet
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Robin

All seen from my porch chair.
I now have many Winter birds, and the yard is always active. One odd thing is the last several days a couple of Blue Jays are often at the sunflower feeders. I have them all year, but over my 17 years here, have not had them regular at the feeders, mostly getting water or just having fun raising hell.

I have yet to see a Song Sparrow or a Junco. I believe I saw a Creeper a couple days back. Some birds (Thrush, Thrasher, Catbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler) that are normally here are so far missing today.

My Chipping Sparrow population was low last year at just a couple dozen as opposed to the normal hundred. So far I have maybe ten, but suspect the numbers will swell. They are fun birds and just eat millet which is cheap at $25 for 50 pounds. Most people put out "bird seed" from the supermarket which is mostly red and white millet. That mix is a waste of money. Birds eat the white, so go to a feed store. Millet is not a favorite of many year-round birds. The Cardinals like to nibble on it, so I keep some out all year. Come Winter it is the choice of all types of Sparrows.

Pine Siskins came by a couple weeks back but moved on. I am kinda glad as I had them last Winter. They can break the feeder budget. Unlike most birds, they migrate to a different area each year. They like sunflower as do my many, many Finches and most birds.

Here is a Maine Coon Cat at the Branch (The Devil) looking for a bird to jump. He is a loner as my cats refuse to be his friend. My experience is well fed cats rarely get serious enough to actually catch a bird, especially a mature one.