Merry Christmas!

Yes, that's right.  None of that politically-correct, secular-progressive "Happy Holidays" bullcrap on MY web site.  It's CHRISTmas time, baby!  And what a time we're having here at the feeders.  Life has been good and I have a number of really nice photos to share in this installment.


Male Downy Woodpecker


Lesser Goldfinches

Woodpeckers and Lesser Goldfinches have been eating here like crazy over the past week.  After two "down" weeks, Northern Flickers and Downy Woodpeckers have made a huge comeback.  The former have been been especially numerous.  And we had one very special treat yesterday:  a Red-breasted Sapsucker seen briefly coming through the pine trees near our driveway.  In addition, House Finches and Bushtits have been stopping by in increasing number.  Small flocks (5-10) of Robins have also been visiting for the past four days, and at least one Varied Thrush has joined them over the past two.  Apparently all of the rain that we've gotten over the past week and a half has translated into snow in the foothills and forced them down into the Valley.  Another surprise was a Song Sparrow that has visited twice since Friday (thanks to Larry McQueen and Noah Strycker for the ID of my [bad] initial photo).


Song Sparrow feeding on millet behind my ground feeder

Many semi-regulars, such as Townsend's Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Brown Creepers, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets are still coming by on a daily basis.  In fact, one male RC Kinglet has become particularly fond of sunflower chips...


Ruby-crowned Kinglet likin' those sunflower chips

While the activity here over the past week or so has been overwhelmingly great, Starlings have also been hanging around.  Thankfully, they've mostly been foraging for earthworms in flocks of 5-10, but a few have come to the feeders.  Not sure why they're around right now, but hopefully they don't stay for much longer.  House Sparrows, another species that we thankfully don't see every day, were also hanging around this past weekend.


Evil Starlings patrol my backyard.  Go away!

So I hope that everybody has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  I'll be back in January, with hopefully a tale of a returning Red-breasted Sapsucker and a photo to go with it.

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