01-19-2024, 01:49 PM
I love the big snow days! Not so much for the seemingly endless snow removal chores, but for the great birds that visit. Throughout winter, one or a few Pine Grosbeaks stop in for sunflower seed. But when the ground and trees get covered with fresh snow, larger flocks of Pine Grosbeaks numbering from 15-40 or more birds arrive. The Pine Grosbeak is our largest finch. It's fun to watch these beautiful, cheery birds hold their own against the bossy Steller's Jays. Recently, a few Gray-crowned Rosy Finches have joined the crowd.
Another favorite is the Clark's Nutcracker which comes for peanut, sunflower and suet. The Clark's, unlike the Steller's, has strong legs and feet which enables it to hold upside down to feed. Clark's Nutcrackers are year around residents but they only come to my feeders in the snowy months.
Other good birds now are the White-winged Junco along with the Oregon Junco, and the ever present Mountain Chickadee and Black-capped Chickadee, the White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches, and the Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. I also see the mostly solitary Townsend's Solitaire singing from the tree tops. They don't come to the feeders but sometimes they'll come down to drink from open water on the river.
Another favorite is the Clark's Nutcracker which comes for peanut, sunflower and suet. The Clark's, unlike the Steller's, has strong legs and feet which enables it to hold upside down to feed. Clark's Nutcrackers are year around residents but they only come to my feeders in the snowy months.
Other good birds now are the White-winged Junco along with the Oregon Junco, and the ever present Mountain Chickadee and Black-capped Chickadee, the White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches, and the Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. I also see the mostly solitary Townsend's Solitaire singing from the tree tops. They don't come to the feeders but sometimes they'll come down to drink from open water on the river.