Backyard Birds

I don't know if it was because it was warm and sunny (40s), or because the snow thawed enough to expose the fallen seeds under the sunflower seed feeder, or if it was just coincidentally active at the time I happened to look out, but the backyard was a pretty exciting place for birds today.

The first thing I saw was a beautiful Northern Cardinal male courting a female by feeding a seed to her!

A little later in the morning, I saw three Eastern Bluebirds (2 males and 1 female), which is such a thrill to have right in my own yard.  Then, there was a Common Redpoll at my Nyjer thistle feeder.  It took me a minute to process that information.  I was convinced it was a House Finch, which I have had many times before.  But that red spot on the head was too bright!  This is a first for my yard.  A little bit later, four of them were on the ground under the sunflower seed feeder!

Throw in two Downy Woodpeckers, eight American Goldfinch, several Dark-Eyed Juncos, Black-Capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, a Carolina Wren, and a couple White-Breasted Nuthatches and it was a birding bonanza!

Common Redpoll

I put the Nyjer thistle feeder up mid-December, hoping to attract some new varieties of birds to the yard.  This was the first new variety!  It only took three months!

Eastern Bluebird

American Goldfinch

Common Redpolls

Downy Woodpecker