Busy backyard

[Bird Brain]

When we were "night Owls", pardon the expression, we'd shine a flash-light into the garden some nights, and occasionally see 6 glowing eyes at us, and 8 another time (4 pairs).  Skunks or Raccoons I recon as we don't see Rabbits around here.

Do you ever see Opossum?  

[Axeman]

Well I loaded up the feeders before the "snowstorm" hit...we did get a fair bit of snow up here but it was hardly the storm of the year even...anyway, there was a bit of activity at the feeders....jays and chickadees mainly but a pair of cardinals, a red breasted nuthatch and a goldfinch made brief appearances...certainly not the numbers of a regular day...

[Rob'in'To]

I don't know if you guys saw the backyard pics I posted yesterday, the day after the *ahem* storm...  snowmageddon they called it.   :lol:   A couple Hawks made an appearance through the day.  One definite Sharp-shin.  Pretty sure the other is a Coopers.  Even with them around, still a lot of other activity.

Today it was pretty quiet.  I step out to fill the nyjer feeders and notice crimson drops in the snow and it trails from the back of the house down the yard to under the apple trees where a big pile of bloody snow be with lots of feathers (pretty sure it's Pigeon...  large dark gray/white feathers).  Now I am used to finding these feather and blood piles in the winter but this one with such a lengthy trail is something else.  I don't have a walkway in the backyard but shovel out my own path to get to the back where most of the feeders are.  The blood trail follows the path.  I see 6 to 10 drops in a spot and then nothing for 1/3 of the way, then another bunch of drops, then nothing, then a bit more, and so on until I get to the pile which is a good 100 ft of distance.  I am wondering if the two Red-tails came in and shared a Pigeon again?  Last time, the one would tear off a piece and fly up in a tree to eat it, return to get more and fly up again.  

After I came back inside, minutes later looking out, and I see a Coopers Hawk (pretty sure, bigger than the Sharp-shin yesterday afternoon)  in the apple trees.  I opened the door to throw a peanut to a Squirrel and the Hawk flies off.  Within minutes a pair of Mourning Doves show up, Cardinal pair, Chickadees, Juncos, Gold Finches and Pine Siskins too.  Funny how they know when the coast is clear.

I have seen Opossum on occasion.  A few times this winter.  One was out there at 7:30am about 4 Saturdays ago.  I thought that was pretty late for a 'Possum.

[Rob'in'To]

Over 40 Robins passed through and over this morning.  It was quite a sight in the morning sun on their orange bellies.  

A rather bold Sharp-shin showed up today which I am sure is the one I have seen numerous times this winter.  I was stunned because it was sitting in some cedar type trees a few yards away.  I didn't see it until it flew out of the trees and straight at and over me!  It glided over my head, mere feet above, and then landed in my apple trees.  He kept his back to me, as he normally does, but would look down on me every little bit as he also kept watch in the trees surrounding us.

And a female Hairy Woodpecker showed up yesterday.  A sign of Spring coming.  My Hairy Woodpeckers disappear by November and return late winter.  One would think they'd be around more in the winter since I have lots of suet out?  Oh well, welcome back Hairy!

[Rob'in'To]

So, as I had hoped, it has come true...  some Common Redpolls have been spending the last 4 days (that I know of) in the backyard, feasting on nyjer with the rather large Goldfinch flock, and a few Pine Siskins are still here as well.

The last time Redpolls were present was 2 or 3 winters ago, when I last had Siskins.

Funny the Siskins are here almost all winter and the Redpolls show up in late February for a short spell.

One Redpoll is shown here, and there is one Siskin on the other feeder.

[Rob'in'To]

Doing the PFW for a moment and there are at least 6 Common Redpolls in a mix of nearly 40 Gold Finches and a few Pine Siskins.  What a treat!

[Rob'in'To]

I hope they stick around for another week or two!  Five in this shot and another was on a nyjer sock closer to the house.

[Pat Hodgson]

I had one lone redpoll in my yard over the last few days.  That's #90 on the yard list!

[Rob'in'To]

90?  As in the 90th species to visit your backyard?  Wow!

[RKD]

Just wanted to share my Redpoll collection with you. They first arrived in December and  over the past 3 weeks the flock has been steadily increasing. I feed at three locations around our house so the picture represents about 1/3 of the number of red polls. Needless to say since the redpolls have increased the Goldfinches have decreased and even Pine Siskens are no longer very numerous. My conservative estimate on numbers is 150+, quite possibly over 200. (sorry for hogging them). We have many mature birch trees on our property so I think this draws them in to begin with

[Reuven_M]

All I can say is... WOW :shock:
There are about 120 in that picture, so if thats only about a third there are far more than 200 total!

[Luv2Bird]

WOW from me too. Lucky you ... we have to go "searching" for them. Great shot.

[Rob'in'To]

Wow!  You are hogging them!  Joking.  Enjoy them while they are here.  The seed store sure must love you, eh?

[Rob'in'To]

Just got out of bed, kettle is boiling, grab the binoculars and look out back for PFW...  12 Redpolls this morning on those tube feeders.  I will assume all Commons, and not going to go out in that downpour right now to search for a Hoary (I wouldn't know what to look for anyways).   :?

[Rob'in'To]

The morning after the *storm* of rain and snow...   at least 16 Redpolls in the backyard!