I enjoy photographing wildlife visitors to our feeders, especially when there is snow in the air! These are some of the birds that brighten our winter days on a regular basis.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Northern Cardinal, female
Northern Cardinal, male
Goldfinch, in non-breeding plumage
Blue Jay, opening a sunflower seed
Tufted Titmouse
White-throated Sparrow
Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove, one of about 20 fluttering in to feed on the ground
Photos by NB Hunter (January, 2020). © All rights reserved.
In the snow belt, harsh winter weather and snow cover trigger aggressive feeding by resident wildlife. Bird counts and squirrel activity at artificial feeding stations reach an annual peak, a phenomenon that is most apparent in the midst of a snow storm. At various times throughout the day, chaos reigns as dozens of birds and mammals converge at feeders, providing wonderful opportunities for “wildlife watching” …and photography.
Chickadee and Downy Woodpecker feeding on a block of suet and grain.
Red-breasted Nuthatch at rest near feeders on a frigid winter morning
Blue Jay evaluating its feeding options
A pleasantly plump Gray Squirrel eating …. because it can!
White-breasted Nuthatch, an upside-down favorite
Red Squirrel digging for grain under a layer of fresh snow
Squirrels are notorious for their creative gymnastics around elevated “bird” feeders
Perhaps our most popular winter resident, cardinal sightings are down this year, and we don’t know why
Woodpeckers (Hairy and Red-bellied) squabbling over access to a suet block.
The Tufted Titmouse is expanding its range northward, influenced by artificial feeding and global warming
Photos by NB Hunter. © All rights reserved.
Lingering Arctic weather has driven a variety of birds to the feeders, prompting me to post a mid January update on our backyard visitors.
A small flock of Pine Siskins arrived last week – after an absence of several years.
These small, sparrow-size songbirds are an absolute joy. They’re semi-tame and approachable when swarming a feeder. But, they can also be pretty feisty when quarreling over ‘Nyger’ seed!
A Red-breasted Nuthatch, the masked bandit of the feeders, continues to entertain. So tiny and so quick – I know it often comes and goes undetected.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers sit atop the pecking order when it comes to foraging on a suet block. They visit often, and the “zebra back” always commands our attention.
Photos by NB Hunter (January, 2018). © All Rights Reserved.
Moving up, down, sideways and rarely lingering, nuthatches are feeder favorites. Our largest nuthatch, the White-breasted, is a daily visitor, foraging on suet as well as grain. Oftentimes one will dart in and grab a sunflower seed, then fly to a nearby oak tree. There, it can lodge the seed in a bark fissure and “hatch the nut” with sharp blows to the shell from its powerful bill.
The tiny Red-breasted Nuthatch is special. With a more northern distribution and preference for coniferous forests, it is less common at the feeders than the White-breasted. Several years ago there was one, and it disappeared mid winter; last year there were none. We might have a pair this year and I’m taking every opportunity to document their presence. Love this tiny, colorful bundle of energy!
Photos by NB Hunter. © All Rights Reserved.
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