Towheeblog

The madrone berry crop this year has brought even more wintering Robins than usual.. The dawn chorus around my house now is the noise of thousands of Robins waking. Whinnies, some short singing, calls of alarm or dawn surprise, wings whistling through the cold air, all the noise of a Robin neighborhood where every branch is occupied. But the Robins are not the only madorne berry lovers. Waxwings. Western Bluebirds. Hermit Thrush. Even woodpeckers. Hermit Thrush hiding behind gap in the foliage.

This Red-breasted Sapsucker flew into the madrone near Peter Thiemann’s house, had some berries, then hung around. As woodpeckers are wont to do, he hung on the wide of the trunk. Despite all the food, I have not seen nor heard a Varied Thrush around here yet this fall.
Of course, Peter had numerous Robins doing the same thing…except sitting horizontally when not feeding.