I haven’t managed to get out birding since winter descended here about two weeks ago. The first week I avoided driving on icy roads except for necessities, like bird feed, and the second week the rain returned with a vengeance and it seemed impossible to get good pictures as dark and wet as it was.
However, with the cold spell I relented on my resolve to not feed the birds because of the rats that have been attracted to the feeder. Hopefully they won’t return before I quit feeding the birds once it warms up.
Until then I’ve been birding from my kitchen window. While out filling the feeder, though, I saw a bird I was sure that I’d never gotten a picture of before. Of course, by the time I went upstairs to get the camera it had disappeared. I decided to wait awhile to see if it would return.
Of course, I can’t stand around with a camera and not take a picture of nearby birds, even if they are just Chestnut-Backed Chickadees,
common House Finches,
or Stellar Jays.
Most of these seemed quite willing to pose for pictures, but this Red-Breasted Nuthatch,
which finally returned, wouldn’t pose. He grabbed a nut from the feeder and flew off without so much as a thank you.
That’s okay because I’m pretty sure I enjoy the feeders more than the birds have.