[Douglbirds] Cold and cool

[ouzels8]

The last two weeks have brought us a lot of birds -- but the best happened this afternoon. An un-bird.

Urling looked out the window and saw three bobcats lope through the courtyard 10 feet from our house, continue on past the woodpile, and disappear. I got glimpses of them as they meandered past the woodpile. Wow!

For the birds, we have fewer juncos -- down to 45 from the 120 that we had in December. Lots of Pine Siskins and American Goldfinches (5-15 per day of each); 5-8 Steller's and Blue jays, but still only one or two Scrub-Jays.

We now see 1-3 Cassin's Finches each day, up to two males and two female-plumaged birds. Both chickadees, white- and red-breasted nuthatches, and today a Pygmy. (We've heard Pygmies nearby for a couple of months, but this one pioneered (we hope) their feeder visits.

Oh -- we heard both a Great Horned and a Saw-whet Owl two weeks ago, and have heard the Saw-whet occasionally since then. 

And the real delight: the first time Bushtits have come to our offerings. We counted six on two little scraps of suet; Urling went out immediately to reinforce that supply. It reminded me of Veronica Holt's description of innumberable Bushtits on her suet -- it looked as if the suet was alive and moving. 

Hugh Kingery
Franktown, CO 
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