Pine siskins, house sparrows and chickadees

On the New Year's Eve morning there seem to be three species at the feeder: black-capped chickadees, pine siskins, and some house sparrows. No doubt there are some red breasted nuthatches around but I did not see them this morning yet.

Snow buntings

We drove to Brandon and back yesterday. Although the wind was driving drifting snow the roads were not bad. We saw a number of ravens, one magpie and two flocks of snow buntings. The snow buntings are the first I have seen this winter season.

Thieving magpies!

We regularly put out scraps for local stray cats but sometimes there seem to be none about. I looked out yesterday morning and lo and behold instead of stray cat a magpie was taking away the scraps. In the summer we often have crows eating the scraps but this is the first I have seen a magpie doing so. There are only a few around the village. I see them most out in the countryside and they are not all that common even there.

Another white-breasted nuthatch

Another white breasted nuthatch appeared today although the photo is borrowed from the internet. I could not take that good a photo! There are even more red-breasted nuthatches and plenty of chickadees. As well there are plenty of house sparrows and there are pine siskins visiting as well.

Pine siskins back again..

Pine siskins are appearing again as winter settles in. They usually stay for the entire winter in the evergreens around the yard and are frequent visitors to the feeder. They manage to compete with houseparrows!

DOwny Woodpeckers again..

I certainly have not been able to get anywhere near as good a picture of a downy woodpecker as this one I borrowed from the Internet! I saw several today working away at the spruce trees looking for frozen bugs! The weather is perishing. One actually came to the bird feeder but the visit was so brief I could not snap a photo. The only other birds about at the feeder are the ubiquitous house sparrows and numerous chickadees. Oh I should mention that there are also quite a few red breasted nutatches.

Plenty of chickadees

This is a photo of a chickadee a few days ago before the snow came. They are still here since the snow. In fact they visit throughout the winter one of the most faithful of visitors.