Backyard Birds

A low grade fever has kept me from doing much of anything, but it takes little effort to sit on the back porch and watch the birds. Yesterday was an Indian Summer type of day which was irresistible to that kind of inactivity.

This has been one of the busiest falls in the backyard in recent years, with sparrows and finches in large numbers, including some of the winter finches (subject of this week's column). Note: in the captions, I indicate relative numbers in the yard.

American Goldfinch (common) and Pine Siskin (very common)

White-crowned Sparrow - juvenile (uncommon)

Little Brown Birds (l to r): Song Sparrow (very common), Purple Finch - female (common), White-throated Sparrow (abundant). Also, Dark-eyed Junco (abundant)

I don't know if the Blue Jays are residents who raised families in the neighborhood, or irruptive migrants from the north, but the evidence suggests that many of them will be wintering in the area. Note that this jay is filling its crop with seed. In good Corvid fashion, it is probably stashing seeds somewhere for a cold winter day. Filling the crop (and emptying my feeders) is a daily occurrence with the jays.

Blue Jay - a year-round resident? or visitor from the north? (very common)

White-breasted Nuthatch  - year-round resident (common)

Tufted Titmouse - year-round resident (common)

Good birding!!