Dark-eyed Junco
On a clear and sunny winter day it is easy to make the click for the birds that visit our front or backyard. I love how the light bounces off the snow on the ground and hugs the birds from all sides and let the colors pop. No enhancement with a hint of flash is necessary as I often use when the sky is gray. Although today’s photos were all made at the house, I try to keep any feeder or bird bath out of the frame and make the shots while the birds are perched in a tree or bush just before they enter. The three bird species I can share with you today are here in larger numbers at these cold temperatures we still experience.
Dark-eyed Juncos are medium sized sparrows that feed mostly on the ground. They are here in eastern Iowa only during the cold season and when the last one disappears we know spring is on its way. They are hard to count but I guess 30-40 juncos are around most of the day.
American Robin
A flock of 30 or more American Robins use the berries of the eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana) that grow here on the bluffs of the Little Maquoketa River Valley as a food source. These juniper berries are not really a true berry but a vital food source for many bird species. Most people see the robins as a spring indicator but we are lucky enough to have them all winter long. The robins come to the house mostly for drinking out of a bird bath and probably for warming up a little bit as well. I maintain three of them and they get filled often 2 or 3 times a day.
American Goldfinch, winter male
American Goldfinches, now in their winter plumage, enjoy the ”full service” we provide, means they feed at our sunflower seed feeders or on the ground and also use the bird baths for a drink. The goldfinches share the spots at the feeders with other finches, sparrows, and cardinals.