Colorful Evening Visitors - Project Feederwatch Report

Male Cardinal waits his turn at tray feeder.

The colorful native birds arrive at my backyard feeder in the very late afternoon. I went to replenish the feeders at 4 o'clock, and the Cardinal pair and a female Hairy Woodpecker were already eating.

The woodpecker pecked at the suet cake, just as she would peck at hibernating insects and eggs in the tree trunks.

female Hairy Woodpecker

She lacks the bright red patch on the back of her head that the male Hairy Woodpecker has. But I could see she was a Hairy woodpecker by the lack of spots on her outer tail feathers. The Downy Woodpeckers have black spots on their tails.

The Cardinals were foraging for seeds underneath the feeders, but few were left. The gregarious hoard of House Sparrows had cleaned the area out earlier in the day.

I like the House Sparrows, but their pushy ways and loudness, get on my nerves. I kind of resent them. These invaders from the other side of the world, keep the native birds away from the feeders.

Eat, eat my little friends! (House Sparrows)

They are fun to watch. They vocalize all day. They travel in packs. And they eat the full buffet I put out at my feeders, black oil sunflower seeds, suet, millet and Nyjer seed. I guess this is why they are so successful and numerous. I am trying to love House Sparrows.

Dark-eyed Junco

Eight dark-eyed Juncos hopped into view from under the shrubs. When the House Sparrows are around, there are at most, three Juncos in my garden. I had no idea there were so many of these little birds in my garden.

In the fading light the birds left my garden, one by one.

Location: My backyard, Philadelphia, PA; Time: 4:00 - 4:57 pm

Weather: cold 28 degrees F, clear, breezy H: 26 degrees F, L: 22 degrees F

Species seen: Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), Northern Cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinals), and Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides pubsecens)

My Project Feederwatch Photo Gallery

Peace and Goodwill, to All.

Winter Solstice and Full Moon

 This evening at 6:30 pm, winter came in. With the cold breezes and bare tree branches, winter has been building up for several weeks. The last several days have been very cold.

 The moon will be a full one tonight. Big and full in a cold night sky. After tonight the moon will grow darker each night until total darkness makes it a new moon. The days will grow longer, by a minute, until spring, when the equinox makes day and light, twelve hours equal.

 There is something special and mysterious about the Winter Solstice and the full moon occurring on the same night. As last night was a total lunar eclipse, the mystery deepens even more.

 If I worked magic, last night and tonight seemed like great nights to say a pray, cast a spell.

Silence and meditation seem just right tonight, to sit by a window with the moonlight highlighting your hair. The Great Mystery seems, just close enough to touch.