Murky Overcast

 Just right for taking photographs on Silver Birch.

Downy Woodpecker

House Finch

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker (female)

Starling

A Four Woodpecker Day

Well, not really 4. It was 3 species and a male and female Downy so 4 instances of woodpecker visits and a bonus Junco.

Female Downy Woodpecker

Male Downy Woodpecker

Female Hairy Woodpecker

Male Red-bellied Woodpecker

Dark-eyed Junco

A trifle windy yesterday.

 A load more leaves to chop up and mulch.

Norway Maple leaves

Norway Maple

Robin on Winterberry

Thanksgiving

Instead of being also known as Turkey Day I nearly wanted to have it renamed as Cooper's Hawk Day. This morning there were loads of birds out there, Blue Jay's, Carolina Wren's, Junco's, Starlings, House Sparrow's, Mourning Doves, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers and best of all a family of Bluebirds. So when the turkey dinner was in the oven I got set up to take a few pictures. There was not a bird in sight, not a chirp or squawk from anywhere. This only means one thing, a damned Cooper's hawk on the prowl. I waited and waited and waited. Nothing. Pity the Turkey was in the oven. I wonder what Cooper's Hawk would taste like.

Downy Woodpecker

Eastern Bluebird

White-breasted Nuthatch

Friday Morning

 A windy, bright and harshly sunlit end to the week and although there were lots of birds earlier it was still too dark. Not so many when it brightened up and I started taking a few shot's. I think I know why the Blue Jays were squawking a lot. I just noticed a large bird fly past the window as I'm writing this and there it is, a Coopers Hawk. Pity my binoculars don't have a camera built in as I just watched him/her sitting in the sunshine devouring some poor little bird. 

Blue Jay

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Cardinal

Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers

 Heres a comparison between the Hairy and the Downy Woodpeckers giving a comparison between the sizes.

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

A 3 Woodpecker Day.

 If the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker I saw yesterday had put in an appearance it would have been a 4 Woodpecker Day.

It was down to 28F this morning when I went out to top up the feeders and the birds appreciated it because by the time I was back inside the Bluebirds were scoffing the mealworms. They unfortunately were gone by the time I set the camera up.  Still I can't complain, the regular Downy's both male and female were there as well as one of the Red-bellied and a Hairy Woodpecker who I don't see very often making it a 3 pecker day. The Blue Jay's were on form as usual and putting on a show.

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

White-breasted Nuthatch

Test Pilots

 After chainsawing a fallen Ash tree, mowing leave's and sowing grass seed I was getting a bit bored with photographing the same bird species in the yard. I got my flash unit back from being repaired and I downloaded new firmware for my 70-200mm lens so the solution to my boredom was obvious. The cats could be my test pilots.

Four (yes that's his name).

Juno, who leaves bits of white hair all over the floor.

KitKat, the bad kitten.

Squirrel Nutkin, Nutty for short.

Rascal. 

Downy Woodpecker

 While waiting for it to warm up a bit before going out and dealing with the usual Fall leaf drop I stuck my lens out the window and although there wasn't much activity I did manage to capture this Downy Woodpecker having a nibble.

Downy Woodpecker

Same Old Same Old

 This time of year with the sun so low in the morning and the leave's still mainly on the tree's the light is forever changing. Light, shade, light and then shade, still it gives some nice highlights. About time for something other than Blue Jay's, Cardinal and White-breasted Nuthatch's. Evening Grosbeak would be nice but I'll settle for a Red-breasted Nuthatch or a nice Pine Siskin or Purple Finch. In the meantime here's another Blue Jay in a bit of sunlight.

Blue Jay

Sunday Birds

In theory the change in time from EDT to EST meant another hour in bed; yeah right, try telling the cats that. Lucy was pounding on the door with a baseball bat, FEED ME! After another frosty night I fed the birds and took a few shots out of the window. A fair selection of birds showed up for a snack. I need some sunflower seeds for the Evening Grosbeaks when they eventually show up (I wish).

Blue Jay

Carolina wren

Mourning Dove

Northern Cardinal

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Starling

Fall's Fell

I'd forgotten about my 11mm Irix lens which I came across and decided to take a few in the backyard. As you can no doubt see fall is here and we've even had a frost the last couple of nights. I've been out to check how my Pineapple Sage is doing, they're protected under the eaves  and hopefully will attract a late Hummingbird.

Distortion from the 11mm lens.