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Haven’t Seen You In A While
December 15, 2025 Glad you’re back, little one! A Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) finally showed up today. I haven’t been putting out anything for my friends, the birds lately. Many days ago I put out some beef suet, and I’ve been waiting. Some hulled sunflower seeds were scattered on the ground too. Finally, this morning…
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Puffed Up Against The Cold
December 14, 2025 Puffed up against the cold, a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), along with a Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) in the background. The range of the Mourning Dove is impressive, being year-round in almost all of the continental US and Mexico. Quite a popular gamebird, more than 20 million birds are shot annually in…
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Not Here Every Winter
December 13, 2025 A sometimes winter resident. When they are here, I most often see them at the birdbaths. A Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata). For the most part these birds are insectivorous but of course winter can provide challenges to those that only eat insects. This Warbler eats insects during the winter when insects can…
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Cardinals In Many Locations
December 12, 2025 I thoroughly enjoy seeing Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), both the soft colored females and the brilliant red males no matter what the season, but in the winter they are most spectacular. A pop of lovely color in a black and white landscape. It’s surprising to realize that these beautiful birds don’t migrate.…
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Winter Goldfinch
December 11, 2025 A male American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), enjoying the seedheads of Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) which I’ve left out for he and his many friends. Hardly the same bird that I saw flocking with others this summer. Gone is the brilliant yellow, the black cap and the bright orange beak. Now in his…
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A Robin, Drinking
December 10, 2025 Glug, glug, GLUG!! A Robin (Turdus migratorius) taking a drink at the birdbath. In order to drink the water, the Robin must scoop the water up into the lower portion of its bill and tilt its head back. This allows gravity to aid the water down the Robin’s throat. Many birds rely…
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White-throated Sparrow In The Snow
December 9, 2025 A White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) trying to stay warm in the garden. Yesterday 4 inches of snow fell on my cabin. More than I had expected, and now, 7 inches of snow in less than a week. Hmmm. What kind of winter are we going to have? Could be fun! _______________________ If…
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Juvenile, Female, And Male Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
December 8, 2025 Three slightly different looks of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius). This one, a juvenile, looking very speckled. They have this look until their first major molt by early spring. A female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Notice that she has a brilliant red cap but her throat is white. And the male sitting at the…
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Noisy Little One
December 7, 2025 A fiesty little one. Noisy too. Chattering away, particularly if you’re in a spot where it would rather you not be. A year round resident that makes a nest in various funny spots. Spots like a basket, a graniteware coffee pot, and when they can’t find anything else they’ll actually build a…
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Emerald Ash Borer
December 6, 2025 Emerald Ash Borers (Agrilus planipennis) seem to be everywhere destroying our Ash trees (Fraxinus). These EABorers were first detected in 2002 in Southeast Michigan. Since then, they have been found in over 30 states in the US and in 5 Canadian provinces. Notice the lighter sections of bark, indicating injury. This is…