We have one bird feeder out for the winter and I fill it (daily) with a mix of wild bird seeds and sunflower seeds. It attracts a variety of over-wintering birds that we enjoy watching. Their antics are hilarious.
First come the Blue Jays. They’re the loudest of our visitors and have a great deal to say about anyone being outside while they’re looking for their breakfast.
They scout about, checking to see what I’m up to so I have to pretend more interest in the dead Brown Eyed Susans in my garden than them.
They really are quite intriguing with their activities – flying in to the feeder and grabbing as much as their beaks can hold before flitting off to the woods.
But, they’re not the only winged visitors we have.
Not being particularly well informed about bird identification, I’m not quite sure what these guys are. Smaller than the Blue Jays but apparently tougher – the Jays leave the feeder to them.
I spent a wonderful half hour out in the yard watching the interplay between the various types of birds.
We don’t clean out our gardens in toe fall. Plants like this Sedum seed head provide shelter for insects and extra food for birds.
Later in the day, a Woodpecker and some chickadees will come around to the suet ball and to clean up the seeds the others have spilled on the deck floor and ground. But, in the meantime, the morning belongs to the Blue Jays.
Our avian friends will be keeping us amused as winter arrives and we’ll reward them with a steady supply of goodies to help keep those fat little bellies full.
Images by Ceci 