Outside My Window

Today was a great day to stay inside and make a pot of chili and birdwatch.
It starting snowing last night and snowed lightly most of today. I'm guessing 3-4 inches. It's hard to tell with the wind blowing it around.
What a feeding frenzy the birds had today!! Most of the feeders have been emptied and I put out the second block of suet.
 I counted at least thirty just out of my kitchen window where these pictures were taken. I have another feeder behind the house and one in the front.

Male Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Female Red-Bellied Woodpecker

The Yellow-Shafted Flicker showed up very briefly. It doesn't come to the feeders often but finds food the other birds have hidden. This one is a male. Female's don't have the black "mustache".

Downy Woodpecker

And the Downy's look-alike but larger cousin, Hairy Woodpecker. The Hairy also has a longer bill.

Female Cardinal

The Cardinals appeared in big numbers today. I was starting to think I didn't have a lot anymore.

The one-legged Cardinal??  Not really. He kept tucking his other leg up in his feathers. Must have been cold sitting on that ice.

American Goldfinch

Birds use an incredible amount of energy to stay warm on cold winter days and can eat their own body weight of food per day.

Hey, this little feeder is just my size!                    Carolina Wren

Birds also stay warm by fluffing their plumage. This traps air, creating an insulating layer.

The Blue Jays make sure they get their fair share. Or more. Usually it's more. Actually, I would go even further and say it's always more.

Tufted Titmouse

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Nuthatches can be quite agressive at the feeders for their size. This one is spreading it's wings to try to keep the other birds away.

The House Finches don't look too concerned, and keep right on eating.

And the last photo is a Black-Capped Chickadee. These are very common in our area, but for some reason or another, I'm not seeing as many this year. So I was happy I managed to get a picture of one.