pussywillow bloom

fox sparrows migrating

Over the last week, through blizzard winds and huge snows, a lone Fox Sparrow seemed stranded alone among the Dark-eyed Junco flock sheltering in my feeder garden.  Today, with clearing weather south of here, several Fox Sparrows joined the first one.  They are ground feeders, kicking and hopping in leaf litter to expose bugs and seeds.  With a hard crusty snow cover on much of the ground, some of the hopping motions take maximum energy to be productive!

 

filling the larder with suet

Red-bellied Woodpecker gathering suet from the hanging feeder cage.

Red-bellied Woodpecker caching suet in a hiding place for later.

winter birds . . . as winter continues

Snow again.  I've been away since January. This is mid-April.  Almost 80 inches of snow this winter. I've resorted to putting out a plate of seeds for the birds rather than wade through deep drifts between the house and the hanging feeders.  It warmed up a bit last week; many migrating birds are now stuck here.