More snow geese in the fields.

We drove to Russell yesterday and again we saw a field with many snow geese browsing on the ground. I assume there is plenty of grain dropped by the combine. There are a few crows or ravens about but not many other birds.

At the feeder there are still slate coloured juncos, red breasted nuthatches (photo),
house sparrows, chickadees, and some purple finches and pine siskins. The nuthatches seem more prevalent than usual.

Late Leavers

On Friday we drove to near Roblin to a farm. In the yard there were high bush cranberries. Lo and behold there were quite a few robins eating the berries. It is getting rather late for robins to be still here but I guess as long as there is food and it is not too cold they will stay. There were also many slate coloured juncos. On the way home we saw a newly cultivated field replete with herring gulls. They too are staying late. I assume come the first big freeze or snow they will finally get the message and fly south.

Snow Geese Flying south

On the way to shop in Shoal Lake the other day we saw a large flock of snow geese in a field. Some were white but not all of them and perhaps there were other geese mixed in. The photo is of a flock at sunset--not here but in the northern US just south of us.
There are plenty of pine siskins around and also nuthatches, chickadees, and several purple finches. Of course there are oodles of house sparrows as well. There are some slate coloured juncos but not that many as yet.

Several purple finches

For the first time I saw several purple finches at the bird feeder at one time (photo). There have been many red-breasted nuthatches visiting and also there was one downy woodpecker, the first I have seen in some time. As usual chickadees are still around. The most common birds are house sparrows in large flocks and plenty of pine siskins as well.

Many Canada Geese: Honkers

We drove to Russell yesterday. In Russell there were many flights of Canada geese overhead. The noise of their honking was so loud that a nearby dog started up howling when they passed overhead!

On the way home we passed a newly cultivated feed. There were numerous herring gulls feasting on whatever grubs or insects had been uncovered.

The feeder is still busy. There are plenty of house sparrows and pine siskins (photo) as well as chickadees, and nuthatches. The other day I saw another Harris sparrow.

Two Crows and a Magpie

In the countryside on the way to shopping at Rossburn we saw two crows and a magpie. I have seen very few magpies this year for some reason. We also saw a hawk but we were not close enough to identify it.

THe feeder is still busy with the usual house sparrows, pine siskins, chickadess, and red-breasted nuthatches. There are a few slate coloured juncos around as well.

Another junco or so!

There was at least one slate coloured (or dark-eyed) junco along with the house sparrows at the feeder this morning. There was also a Harris sparrow again. There are still plenty of pine siskins and there wads a purple finch as well. Red breasted nuthatches as well as chickadees are present every day.
I hear flocks of geese going overhead quite regularly these days. Most of them so far seem to be Canada geese.