January is not prime birding season here in Nebraska. Things pick up in late february when the Sandhill Cranes start gathering along the Platte River. Famous for being “a mile wide and an inch deep.” Right now there are some Snowy Owls in the hinterlands, a Redpoll in Omaha and the usual local, winterized species. The Downys here have many more white spots on their wings than our western birds. And then there’s this woodpecker called “Red-bellied” who has more of a yellow-orange belly:
Antelope Park, Lancaster County, US-NE Jan 7, 2012 9:30 AM. 12 species
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1. Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1 Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 3.
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1. Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 5 White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2 American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 25. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 10. Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 60. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 4.
Towheeblog 
Lovely Blue Jay!
By: kenyabirding on January 9, 2012
at 9:53 am