Great Backyard Bird Count

I've done my part for the Great Backyard Bird Count today, spending perhaps too much time staring out the windows and keeping track of local birds.  The birdcount website is fun to visit, since you can find out what birds are being observed all over the country by exploring the maps or other statistics.  I like to follow Wyoming's stats, but, so far, it doesn't seem like too many Wyomingites are participating this year.

While I didn't see any surprising or unusual bird visitors today, the front and back feeders were quite busy.  I was glad that my two little brown creeper friends returned to examine the cottonwoods out front.  A lovely northern flicker even visited the front porch before he, too, flew off to peck at the cottonwoods.

Also busy on the front porch were the mountain chickadees.  Three came to the front feeder at once, which is the most I have seen around the house.  I guess word about my birdfeeders is spreading!

A huge plus on this birding day was that the house finches finally started using the finch sock feeder that I bought especially for them.  It had been untouched for weeks until today when a mountain chickadee climbed onto it in full view of a male house finch.  The lightbulb must have turned on in the little finch's brain, because he almost immediately clung to the sock as well and started eating.  And not long later, a second male house finch (who had also been watching) hopped up.  I wonder if they were scared of the sock or just not bright enough to understand how to use it.  I am grateful to the smart, perky little chickadee who showed the way.

The house sparrows, though, were the most numerous visitors of the day, as I expected.  In fact, they are still hopping and chirping around the house even as the sun starts to go down.  I took this kind of fun shot of a male sparrow taking off above another sparrow, in which it looks like one bird has two tails.  The shadow tells the truth.

The other visitors today were not birds, but were still pretty cute.