Baby it's cold outside. And we are having one storm after another. But the birds, like this Northern Flicker and the bluejay, with their skinny bare feet, seem to thrive, as long as the food keeps coming.
What I didn't realize, that by putting all that suet, sunflower seeds and peanuts on the deck so I can see the birds from my window, I'm making them vulnerable to something else that can see them too.
The other day, I was peeling apples in the kitchen, when there was a thump, followed by a bigger thump against the glass door leading to the deck. I looked up in time to see a sharp-shinned hawk bounce off the glass, in hot pursuit of a chickadee. The hawk flew over to the oak tree, its feathers ruffled. And the chickadee got away!
Having a confab.
The bluejays just love peanuts.
Can't resist a few more of my lovely flicker. These guys have it all - stripes, spots, red crest, moustache, yellow under the wings. Pretty fancy!
