I’ve had about a dozen plain brown Purple Finches at my feeders for weeks. At last some are showing raspberry patches. Goldfinches, Juncos, a White-throated Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Tufted Titmice, Chickadees, both Nuthatch species, one or two Carolina Wrens...
This morning I was watching the sunflower hopper through slanting snow when an adult Cooper’s Hawk took a Cardinal. Pretty stirring stuff! The other feeder birds vanished. Don’t suppose they would have been back any time soon if the hawk had stayed to eat her kill on the spot. But after ten or fifteen seconds on the ground, the Hawk flew off to cover with the Cardinal in its talons. Ten minutes later the feeders were busy again. Last week the prey was a Red-bellied Woodpecker, which I identified from the pile of feathers left behind. Hardly seems like the season today, but just a few days ago Turkey toms were gobbling. I usually flush a Ruffed Grouse or two when I walk through the spruces. Occasionally the local Barred Owls give a few hoots. Our Raven pair is active and quite vocal. -Geo Tupper Road, West Danby -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
