With today's snows, our mindset wanders into winter perspectives. Barely two days after the feeders were set up, an invasion of finches descended on the feeders as witnessed by Rob Bate. With old and reliable news of siskin irruption, why not enjoy them at the thistle feeder ? And throw in lots of Purple Finches as well. If this big move by finches keeps up, I am gonna need to run more often to the store for more thistle....It looks like a long enjoyable winter for sure....We'll make friends with those feeders......
As Humphrey Bogart said in the movie Casablanca. "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." .
Oh, check out what the Grackle did....
*****
From Rob Bate
Evidently the park is still closed, I didn't find out till coming out of the park. The feeders were swarming with finches.
10+ Purple Finches
30+ Goldfinches
10 or so Pine Siskins
maybe 4 House Finches
also
Red Breasted Nuthatch
White Breasted Nuthatch
8 Fox Sparrows in the area
White-throats
Juncos
Chickadees
Downey Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
a Brown Creeper nearby
When I first arrived I saw a Grackle pick up a dead Goldfinch from the tray of the largest feeder and fly away with it. I can't imagine the Goldfinch just died there so I guess the Grackle killed it. Yikes!
Rob
