The past week has been dry, with cold nights and brighter days than we have had for a while. We finally got a chance to clean up the yard and garden for winter and put up the bird feeders. I tied one feeder to the deck for the squirrels and chipmunks, and put up a hanging “squirrel proof” feeder as well as the pole feeder under my bedroom window.The days are so short now that I leave for work before there is much light, and return home when it is dusk. I seldom see the birds at the feeders. The light was fading when I took these photos, but I was able to enjoy a number of birds...chickadees, juncos, purple finches, a cardinal, and various other sparrows I cannot identify... for about fifteen minutes yesterday afternoon. They landed on the feeder for only a split second and it was a challenge to catch them with the shutter. Some of the birds prefer the relative safety of the bare lilac bush and flit down to get the loose seeds on the adjacent deck.
Once we get snow cover on the ground, I hope it will be easier to get enough light for better pictures.
Happy Thanksgiving to family, friends and bloggers in United States. Have a wonderful, safe long weekend!
Wow, just came across your blog from Tundra Med's link - great posts! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting. I will have to check out your blog. "Always learning" is a great name!
ReplyDeleteI fill my feeders in the dark when I get in from work, but hardly see who's eating the seeds and peanuts!
ReplyDeleteI really don't like all this darkness and look forward to the solstice and more daylight!
I have a feeder that looks very much like your green one. I like that lip on the base...helps with spilling, I bet.
ReplyDeletePurple finches..I would love to see one, but they are fairly uncommon here in Ohio. We do get tons of house finches, so I will have to be happy with those, I guess.
Laura- I am sure the birds appreciate you even if you cannot enjoy seeing them. About four more weeks of increasing darkness, and then it will turn around, and I too will be happy.
ReplyDeleteSusan- I am no bird expert like you and Laura. I keep my bird guide by the window. I do recognize the colourful purple finches and am trying to identify some sparrows too, but that is hard!