Saturday morning census

At first light I saw four chickadees at the big feeder and two female goldfinches on the thistle sock. Then a pair of titmice and some nuthatches. More finches. Two chickadees. A pair of plump phoebes. Another nuthatch. Two chickadees, then three, then two finches on the thistle sock and one at the feeder.

A female cardinal arrives--the first bigger bird. Four female goldfinches. (I guess the males are sleeping in while the females catch the worm, or the thistle seed as the case may be.) Mr. Cardinal arrives along with another nuthatch, a few more finches, a titmouse.

Ooh, a big beautiful red-bellied woodpecker perches, barred back looking elegant next to the muted plumage of the titmice. Now two female cardinals and a mourning dove, a pair of chickadees, half a dozen goldfinches. Looks like the males have finally dragged themselves out of bed--er, nest.

Two nuthatches, three chickadees, a titmouse and a mourning dove compose a study in gray and white at the big feeder while the brighter goldfinches attack the thistle sock. Here's Mrs. Cardinal again looking prim and matronly but for the orange lipstick. Six finches now crowd the thistle sock, one more at the big feeder.

Everyone clears out for a moment and then a male cardinal arrives, then a phoebe, a nuthatch, three or four chickadees moving too quickly to count. A mourning dove pecks at the ground beneath the feeders. Another male cardinal arrives but the first one chases him away. The air is perfectly still and quiet as the sun climbs higher above the ridge.

A pair of titmice and some goldfinches show up, plus a big fat mourning dove. A solitary goldfinch sits at the end of the bar looking very pleased with himself. A titmouse grabs a sunflower seed from the feeder and then perches on the bar to pound the seed open. Then they're all gone again, leaving the feeder abandoned.

It won't stay that way long. They'll be back--along with bluejays, downy and hairy woodpeckers, various sparrows, purple finches, the occasional flicker or bunting. Soon we'll start seeing juncos again. (Which makes me wonder: when did the towhees leave?) The hummingbirds are gone for the winter, but as long as the birdseed lasts, there's never a dull moment at the feeders.