Downy Woodpecker at Feeder

Another photo of a Downy this time right on top of the feeder picking up a sunflower seed. Usually the downy woodpeckers remain on the spruce trees whereas nuthatches visit the feeder quite regularly.

Downy Woodpecker actually visits feeder.

I was surprised to look out at the feeder this morning to see a downy woodpecker perched on top of the feeder with a sunflower seed in its beak. It did not stay long but flew off to a nearby spruce tree. The woodpeckers usually stay in the spruce trees pecking away at the bark but I guess they do not mind the occasional change of diet especially in the winter when few bugs are probably found.

Rock Pigeons

We drove to Brandon and back the other day and saw hardly any birds along the way just the odd raven. In the city itself there were a large group of rock pigeons on the wires crossing the Assiniboine river but that was all. The birds in the photo were not the ones we saw but it is a good photo nevertheless lifted from the internet..

Two Magpies in the Spruce Trees

Coming home from the post office, I heard bird noises from the spruce trees in the yard. I did not see the birds at first but then finally I saw two magpies high up in the spruces. Once in a while they raid the scraps that we put out for stray cats but today they seemed to be just passing through. Many people do not like the magpies because of their rather harsh cries but I find them quite pretty certainly much better looking than their crow or raven relatives!

Faithful chickadees always visit.

When most other birds have disappeared during the winter there are still plenty of chickadees although this one was photographed before everything was covered with snow. His black cap is not all that visible either!

Several ravens seen on trip to city

We saw several individual ravens and also two together on the way to Brandon to shop. The only other birds we saw were two flocks of snow buntings and in the city a flock of pigeons. At the bird feeder we have chickadees, nuthatches, pine siskins, and house sparrows. The other day there was also a downy woodpecker.

Siskins and Chickadees

This is an earlier photo of a pine siskin and chickadee at the feeder. However this morning the same combination was evident. There have been lots of pine siskins of late even during the coldest weather.
The weather has warmed up now but there are no new birds around so far.

Plenty of red breasted nuthatches

I should have loaded one of my own photos of the nuthatch but instead here is a little one from the internet in a different place and different season. It was more than minus 40 wind chill this morning with lots of snow on the spruce trees which protect the nuthatches. There have been quite a few visiting during the most severe stretches of cold we have had so far.