GBBC

19th annual Great Backyard Bird Count -- in the wild wild woods today, Mourning Dove, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, American Crow, Bluejay, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Junco, Northern Cardinal, European Starling, House Finch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow.  Lastly, at dusk, this Sharp-shinned Hawk came by to get his name on the list.

winter starlings

These two European Starlings have been coming to the suet feeders for a week or so.  Their Latin name Sturnus vulgaris is fitting, since these non-natives are considered a vulgar nuisance when they mob lawns in big, noisy flocks.  They appear black, but up close their feathers are dazzling iridescent blue, purple, gold, and green. Fortunately, just these two so far near the wild wild woods . . .

Studies of Starlings' mob movements have found that starling flocks model a complex physical phenomenon, seldom observed in physical and biological systems, known as scale-free correlation. Read more at starling murmurations

redpolls

Today, just as the heavy snow started falling, two Redpolls showed up at the feeder garden.  They darted often back into the woodland edge for cover, but snatched many seeds from the tray alongside the Chickadees, Cardinals, and Juncos.

Redpolls breed worldwide in the far northern latitudes.  But they come "south" when food is unpredictable in late January.  Their winter range is extremely variable (as far south as Iowa or Missouri) when these little birds seek food from open woodlands, scrubby and weedy fields, or backyard feeders.

They can survive temperatures of 65F below zero degrees: they will add about 31 percent more plumage by weight, and tunnel into snow for shelter.