And the birds come calling

As has been the case everywhere this winter, cold temps have made living harder for everyone. This includes our feathered friends and so I have increased my efforts to keep bird seed available. And this year, like every other one with really low temps, has brought in new customers.

I had not seen goldfinch or house finch until we hit the single digits, in reality or wind chill. And then a new customer came calling. It took me a while to find him in the bird book, but I finally did: a dark-eyed Junco. Now, where has he been all this time?

Bad weather brings out bad tempers, too, and this must be true in the animal kingdom as well. I watched a bluejay and a red-headed woodpecker have a show down under a bush in my neighbor's yard. The blue jay stared the woodpecker down sufficiently that the latter retreated to a tree, only to be chased off it by the jay! Seeking territory?

Ah--is love in the blue jay air? Can spring be far behind?