Our little bit of variable weather has brought one or two of our regular birds back to our feeders and so it was the other day when we got a visit, not from just one type of Nuthatch, but also at the same time, another type. Yes both a Red-breasted and White-breasted one made their appearance simultaneously on our hanging feeders and fed there without any signs of agitation or worry about each other. A lesson for us all maybe!!
Another brief but welcome return was made by a couple of House Finches, still sporting a reasonable amount of their beautiful red colouring for us to see. They mingled with the Goldfinches to peck at the nyjer seed and after a brief respite, they took their departure.
Meanwhile, our expanded flock of pigeons, now numbering almost 60, were busily feeding on the ground. They always remain somewhat skittish and it doesn’t take much for them to suddenly take flight to seek the refuge of the high slung hydro wires, where they will then sit in a row, waiting for one of the flock to be brave enough to drop back down again to feed! Whichever way the event occurs, the flapping of their powerful wings makes quite a spectacular noise, although not quite as noisy as a flock of Canada Geese taking off from the creek down the road. They, the geese, are really busy at the moment although they don’t seem to be in too much of a rush to leave us yet, as they keep heading over our house flying towards the Rideau River, not south, but in the other direction!
I expect some of you are thinking or have already got plans of your own to beat the birds or meet them somewhere “down south” in a warmer clime than what the majority of us are going to have to face soon. Until you either “put the peddle to the metal” or simulate our avian friends and “take a flight”, I hope that you find time to still enjoy those of the bird species who will remain here whilst you are gone, before you actually go. Stay safe and well.
Cheers, John Baldwin
