Birding Friends - Help me understand a just-happened event around our feeders. With a light snow in the air the feeders have been crowded all morning. All at once five downy woodpeckers and a single goldfinch on a small tree outside our viewing window stopped all motion and held a rigid position for 6 or 7 minutes. During this time none of our 12 other regular visitors came to the feeders. Almost as suddenly the feeding resumed. I suspect a shrike or hawk may have been in the area but could not see it. We'd enjoy your interpretation . We observed it yesterday also but not as carefully.
