Winter 2018 UPDATE for Winged Visitors

It's the middle of January and my feeders are out there in the freezing cold.  I've had to thaw out my awnings to get to the feeders so I can fill them.  The birds just keep coming and coming.  I don't know where they all came from because I have never had this many birds at my feeders in past years.

Last year's season was productive and I saw a variation of adult sparrows feeding their chicks.  There are so many that my neighbors are starting to complain about all the droppings in their yard and on their porches.  I can't blame them because it's getting out of hand and I've started only feeding them once a week.  One of my friends told me that last winter was so mild that the birds had a better chance to mate and hatch new fledglings.  This year is going to be hard on them though.

Snow covering seeds on flat bird feeder

There is so much ice that I have to get out there and knock down the icicles from the corners of the gutters and the ones that are actually hanging off the square bird feeder.

early morning male cardinal in the snow

This week, my cardinals came back and I see one midsize male and female at the square feeder.  I'm particularly happy to see them because I lost a loved one last year and cardinals are supposed to symbolize their return to let you know they are okay.

Mourning Dove waiting turn at the feeder

Yesterday, I saw the cowbird at the square feeder and there are a couple of mourning doves.  I'm so glad to see them since this year has been so cold and we have had so much snow.

I get the greatest feeling of accomplishment when I spy a new breed of visitor to my gardens and bird feeder.

UPDATES

 At the end of January, I spotted the Chicadee at the feeder and then I heard the Bluejay.  A few minutes later it was there at the feeder, grabbing the nuts and flying away again.

Blue Jay with male and female Cardinal at feeders

I never knew that starlings stayed here over the winter but yesterday there was one at the feeder enjoying the mix of nuts and seeds.  The mourning doves come and go but there are now two of them at a time where earlier on there was only one that I saw.

I've removed the screen from my window so that I can get some more pictures and will load them as I'm lucky enough to get them.