Birds of the Bitter Cold

Temperature records fell throughout the central United States yesterday, as a cold front moved down from Canada. We dropped to -2oF, and we aren’t expected to warm up much before the weekend.

We always think of our feathered friends on days like this, so I went out early to clean off the feeders. I had just reached for one when a grey-and-white dart shot past me so close that I could hear it’s wings fluttering.

White-breasted nuthatch

Evidently, this White-breasted nuthatch was so focused on getting to the feeders that it hadn’t realized I was there. It sat in a nearby tree until I was finished.

Pine Siskin

Within minutes of me going inside, these Pine Siskins showed up.

Oregon Junco

This Oregon Junco waited for it’s turn a little closer to the house, where it was out of the wind, and maybe a little warmer.

Female Hairy Woodpecker

A female Hairy Woodpecker showed up mid-day. We don’t see them very often so it was a rare treat.

Black-capped Chickadee

And of course, Black-capped Chickadees popped in and out throughout the day.

Stay warm, little friends! We’ll keep the feeders filled for you.

4 responses to “Birds of the Bitter Cold”

  1. Beautiful close-ups! Great view of the Hairy’s classic field mark, i.e., beak in proportion to its head. 🙂 So glad the birds found your feeder in the frigid temps.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks, Martha! You put the feeders close enough to the house and get a big enough lens, and just about anything looks good.

      Liked by 2 people

  2. Wonderful photos, Amy, and I thank you for the Pine Siskin identification. We’ve been seeing them here and were misidentifying as female Goldfinches (overlooking the streaked chest). So, you’ve helped the birds AND us today. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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