Autumn birds

I bought this wreath to hang outside for the birds (and, as it turns out, the squirrels) to find a tasty treat or two. The birds much prefer the easy-to-use feeders, but the ever-curious chickadees are everywhere playing and pecking around inside this wreath. This was taken just after I hung it outside; it now looks much the worse for wear.

The juncos have returned for the season, I see. Not sure exactly where they go during the summer, maybe further north, but now they are back. It was so pleasant to see them return after being gone. I now have two northern flickers living nearby and downy woodpeckers, too. As soon as I see a new bird out on the porch, I grab my Birds of Washington State book to see who has come to visit.

You can see juncos (the black headed ones) here on the front porch with the ubiquitous sparrows, who never leave. Our porch is littered with huge rocks to hold down our rugs during the windstorms, not for birds to hang out on -- although of course they do. Right now I have to remember not to stumble on one while filling the feeders.

While I was writing this post, Mr. Grey Squirrel came up for a quick meal so I snapped his picture. You can see he's not hurting for food. The squirrels can only get what the birds leave on the ground, but they are constantly sneaking up the side of the apartment. Two black squirrels and at least one grey squirrel think this place is their own Club Med. I do scatter some bird food on the ground, since the juncos don't go up to the hanging feeders. I don't mind the squirrels eating part of it, as long as they leave some for the juncos, who are the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave.

The other birds have two suet feeders, two nyjer socks (for the finches only), a vertical sunflower seed feeder, and an upside-down feeder that holds small bits of sunflower seed mixed with the nyjer. Here's a picture of this feeder, with finches in their winter colors and, yes, that's a chickadee down there on the bottom. Any picture can be enlarged.

I spend a fair amount on the birds, but they give me such joy, year round. I'm not sure whether they will all make it through the winter, and I'm not sure how to keep the water from freezing in the bird bath (I know they make little heaters for them), but we will figure it out. It will not be because of me that my birdies don't make it. I've been wondering where they go when the wind blows like it has the past two nights. I picture them deep inside a tree somewhere, huddled closely together and listening to the wind blow, just like me.
:-)