A few visitors

Lots of bird feeders in my region have pine siskins visiting (or hogging, depending on your point of view) their feeders. Mine isn’t one of them. Fortunately, my parents’ feeders do have them, so I was able to get a photo of one of them. These tiny finches are a bit nondescript, except for the pretty yellow bit on their wings.

This year my own feeders are much frequented by the local birds, though I haven’t yet had even one unusual species. My feeders are on the back deck, which the current crop of sparrows don’t appreciate. I do see various sparrows on the ground but they haven’t come in to the feeders this year. Here are the species I’ve had so far.
1. Black-capped chickadee
2. Carolina chickadee
3. Tufted titmouse
4. Northern cardinal
5. Blue jay
6. Dark-eyed junco
7. American goldfinch (only 1 as best I can tell)
8. Downy woodpecker
9. Hairy woodpecker
10. Red-bellied woodpecker
11. White-breasted nuthatch
12. Dark-eye junco
13. Carolina wren
14. House finch—not since January 1

It’s not a very exciting list this year. That’s the way it goes. Even the non-exciting birds can eat lots of food, which they are happily doing. I use a variety of food at the feeders. Suet, mealy worms (which they love), sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, peanuts and a mix from Lyric called "Woodpecker" that everyone seems to enjoy, especially the non-woodpeckers.

Snow is in the forecast for tomorrow and Wednesday so I’d better keep those feeders filled. I know they will empty quickly, if that happens.