BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Remember the unwanted bird seed treats I made at Christmas time?

The ones that elicited the comment that all the birds around here leave when the weather turns cold?

The ones that I hung in the trees in my back yard to see if that was true? 

But the deer and elk ate them so I never really figured out if there were any year round birds.

I decided I could out smart the elk by buying suet blocks and seed blocks that are surrounded by wire mesh- the kind intended to be squirrel proof. I hung 3 of them in the trees right outside my kitchen window so I could keep a close eye on them.

And........SUCCESS!!

There are birds that winter over!  I have seen

 the notorious Magpie

And black-capped chickadee

Downy Woodpecker

and my personal favorite: the northern flicker

I am so happy to have feeding stations that are attracting local birds. I was religious about keeping my feeders full in Bellevue and notating every new species I saw in my bird book. It was a hobby I really enjoyed and I missed it when we moved here. It helps to satisfy my nurturing instinct.