Backyard birds 2021

16 January 2021

A squirrel makes it to the top of a tall birdhouse pole and grooms itself triumphantly.

 

Northern flicker, a ground-dwelling woodpecker that eats ants...

... but in winter it adapts to the food situation.

Sometimes there's a hole pecked clean through the suet block.

Northern flicker is back for more. The bird spent a long time on the suet feeder.

Blanched, shelled peanuts are a treat for blue jays

A blue jay can get at least four shelled peanuts down its throat at a time.

In this case, make that three.

Meanwhile, back at the suet feeder

Titmice love shelled peanuts

Quarrelling house sparrows

The shelled peanuts are at the top of a tall pole with a long baffle. That doesn't stop a squirrel from trying to get past the baffle.

Guess not.

Male house sparrow

Oops

Two or three titmice will visit the yard at a time, grab a peanut, fly off, and then return a few minutes later.

Carolina wren

The wren pays no heed to the bird on the other side of the feeder

Usually three or four blue jays show up, make loud calls to announce their arrival, and take turns gulping down as many peanuts as possible at a time.

Male northern cardinal

On another feeder filled with hulled sunflower seeds, many "greyscale" birds visit: titmice, juncos, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees. In the brown-and-red department, Carolina wrens and male and female cardinals also enjoy sunflower seeds.

Back for more

Maybe THIS time I'll get past that baffle.

Nope.

Male northern cardinal

Downy woodpecker

The woodpeckers do take-out: grab a treat, then head to a nearby tree to eat it.

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