Snow day - II

With the added inducement of cracked corn, birds of 20 species swarmed our feeders all day. It was hard not to stop and gawk out any of our windows.

There were seven or eight species under the feeder at any given time - click on image to view large and count the species.

Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers, Mallards and Wood Ducks swam off the dock.

Redpoll numbers grew through day - there were 50 or so here at supper time.

Of course there were the regulars - Hairy, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Black-capped Chickadees, Blue Jays and Crows.

The four Fox Sparrows stood out among the scores of Dark-eyed Juncos, American Tree Sparrows, Purple Finches and American Goldfinches.

Snow day!

The warm weather that sent the salamanders marching also thawed much of our bay over the weekend. Ones and twos of Common and Hooded Mergansers, Wood Ducks and Mallards are foraging along the edge of the receding ice. I heard my first Eastern Phoebe in the early evening and a few hours later, a Woodcock displayed over the nearby gravel pit while an unseen flock of Common Goldeneye passed overhead. All were welcome additions to the BIGBY list, which has grown to 40 species.

We are now experiencing a late spasm of winter weather - about 5 cm of snow has fallen with more expected this afternoon - tough on the Phoebe's I suspect. There was lots of activity at the feeder all day - 17 species. Even a Robin landed in the snow among the juncos and poked around the sunflower seed hulls.

Dark-eyed Junco and American Goldfinch.

Fox Sparrow

Sparrows trying to kick up some breakfast.

Purple Finch and Pine Siskins

Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackle

European Starling