They're All Back !

Our regular winter birds have all returned. The nuthatches, the bluejays, the hairy and downy woodpeckers, the white-breasted nuthatches, the red-breasted nuthatches (Rusty) and of course the crow. While some of them have been here off and on over the summer months , they all came back last week, in full force - with this year's young. On arrival they looked for the feeders - which I hadn't put up yet. The nuthatches and the chickadees got so pesty outside our side door, we decided to put the feeders up earlier than other years (usually just after Thanksgiving). While I don't have pictures (impossible to take while putting up our feeders), I'll never forget hanging the feeders with the chickadees sitting on them and busy singing!

Yesterday saw the first 50 pound bag of black-oil sunflower seeds and the first 20 pound bag of peanuts go into storage.

I talk about birds being "pesty" at our side door - I have a friend down near Gooderham that has chickadees pecking at his kitchen window each morning that he doesn't get out early and top-up the feeders. I've always thought that was unique until a somewhat similar situation recently developed here - our bluejays all line up on our deck rail, fluff themselves up to be seen, and start calling to get attention - if I'm any where near slow each morning!

And they are here at daylight breaking each day!

The experience of feeding winter birds is not only rewarding from just watching them and from having them around but from the realization that you are helping them survive our harsh and barren winter environment.