From my kitchen window

During the winters I have been feeding birds on my back porch. I have included more and different feed every year and have many frequent visitors, and some that are just passing through too.

 This Cardinal has a funny thing sticking out of his right side wing, but it doesn't seem to hinder him.

A shy but adorable visitor only comes when the snow is high. The song sparrow feeds from the ground like the cardinal and the juncos.

I wish it would start singing soon!

A junco taking a break in the sun.

Some I see most every day, like the Titmouses and the White breasted Nuthatches. And by the way, is it Titmouses or Titmice? I'm not sure...

A really hungry goldfinch reaching for sunflower hearts.

Sometimes it pays off to spend (a lot of) time on the Internet. I found a fun birdwatching blog and when this unusual little bird showed up and I couldn't find it in my book, I wrote to the Birdchick blogger and asked if she could help me. It turned out to be a female White winged Crossbill, normally not straying as far south as Massachusetts.

She was cool. Her beak is adapted to preying out seeds from pine cones. She took her good time at the feeder, unnerved when I scared the starlings off by knocking on the window glass with my ring-finger. She stayed for 4 days, then I never saw her again.

The hawk comes and makes the sparrows nervous. I'm pretty sure this is Cooper's hawk but I might be wrong. 

 

I have a couple of pairs of Downy woodpeckers.

Redbellied guy comes often too, but so hard to catch on a picture! His mate is even more skittish.

He's feisty and makes the Downies wait for their turn.

A sunning house sparrow.

This one only stayed for a day, but at least I could take pictures: common redpoll.

That's probably enough pictures for today. But I like my Chickadees too, and the Mourning Doves and the House finches. I have seen the occasional Tree sparrow, and once a Hairy Woodpecker. The other day Redwinged Blackbirds came by, and I also saw the Sharpshinned Hawk by my neighbor's feeder.