The Big Gun

I was looking forward to another outdoor day today but that didn't happen.  My camera gear was packed up and ready to go but then the wind kicked up in combination with the snow that was falling.  That changed my mind and rather than heading out, I unpacked the gear and set it up to watch the bird action in the back yard.  They did not disappoint me.

I lost count of the number of redpolls that flocked in.  They took over all the hanging feeders and the tray feeder.  The seeds that were knocked to the ground were picked up by the birds that didn't have a spot at the feeders. 

 



Every now and again the chickadees managed to get a 'seed in edgewise'.  They tended to land on anything nearby and then make a move when a spot opened up at a feeder.

The nuthatches took their chances at swooping in for some peanuts.  The skittish little guys didn't stay around too long.  They came and went quickly; peanuts in beaks. 

The snow continued falling and the wind continued blowing all day.  The little birds did not take a break.  I filled the feeders yesterday and they are just about empty.

As I walked by my patio doors, I noticed a brilliant red patch at the back of my yard.  The 'big gun' showed up.  A pileated woodpecker was drilling for food on a rotten old poplar.  It continued working for fifteen minutes and then moved to another tree where it spent another half hour grooming and resting.  As it preened, the chickadees and the smaller woodpeckers stopped by for a quick visit.  What are the odds of getting a pileated and a hairy woodpecker in the same shot?

 I didn't get to walk out on the trails today but I got to watch some fantastic action from my window; all the while thinking about how I was going to entice new bird friends into my yard for the summer.