snow finally

 

Yesterday about 200 starlings swooped down on our green grassy backyard and were going after some type of invisible food - maybe bugs emerging from the grass.

Today, our world is covered in snow.  I watched the two ravens struggling to find peanuts under foot-high drifts on the table, and full of guilt, I dragged myself outside to clear things up.

After pushing the snow away, I refilled the suet feeders, set out peanuts and sunflower seeds and fresh water, and stepped back.  First to investigate was the downy woodpecker, surprisingly tame, delicately pecking at the suet.  Next were the dark-eyed juncos and chickadees.  As long as I stayed out there, the bigger birds stayed away, and the little guys were not being bullied.

An irruption of evening grossbeaks this year - up to 14 at once.