Two Magpies

We drove to Brandon and back through foggy conditions. We saw two magpies in all and numerous crows or ravens and also a couple of flocks of snow buntings. At the feeder there are chickadees and pine siskins and that is about all.

Crows may be back.

I heard what I took to be several crows but I am not sure as I really can't tell ravens from crows although I have not heard ravens very often. It must be getting near the time when they will be returning. The crows have not yet eaten what I put out for stray cats as they often do later in the year. In fact not even stray cats are eating the scraps and bones I am putting out so maybe it is not very appetizing!

Faithful chickadees visit

This is a photo taken in the late fall. Now the grass is well covered with snow still. There are lots of chickadees visiting. They are the most common visitor at present. It will not be too long until birds such as the junco begin to return.

More pine siskins

There are no new birds at the feeder. The most common visitors are pine siskins followed by chickadees and then a few house sparrows. I have no seen any grosbeaks as yet this winter. Last winter there were evening grosbeaks as well as rose-breasted grosbeaks.

Another Downy Woodpecker

Another downy woodpecker actually visited the feeder. There are not many different kinds of birds at the feeder these days. The most prevalent and constant are the black-capped chickadees. Even though there was quite a bit of snow last night they have cleared enough snow away from the feeder to get at the seeds.

More flocks of snow buntings

This is not my photo of course but is borrowed from the net. We went to Brandon today and except for a few ravens and lots of pigeons in Brandon we saw only two large flocks of snow buntings and also a couple of groups of two.

Several flocks of snow buntings

I have never been able to get close enough to snow buntings to take a photo such as this one taken from the Internet. However, we saw several flocks from a distance while we were driving to Yorkton yesterday. They never seem to visit our feeder in our village but are always seen in the open countryside. I have only seen them in the dead of winter.