Towheeblog

I wanted to write “The Hale, and The Hardy.” Hardy was easy–dozens of juncos feeding by official sunrise (about 7AM) and a couple Mourning Doves. But I went out to touch the white stuff–not ice balls, but wet, filmy crystals that melted on the finger. Then at 730AM real large snow flakes. So snow, and by 710AM I could hear the crow cacophony from all sides, a thorough vetting of opinions, complaints and calls for breakfast bravado from many dusky throats.

snow…crow…jun-co…could be a new nursery rhyme…snow…crow…jun-co…cold to come, seeds to go…snow…

By 8AM the dozen turkeys in the spring harem had come and they cleaned up all the sunflower chips. After they wandered down the lawn, bellies bulging, the small birds gathered, including the White-throated Sparrow I hadn’t seen in a couple weeks. As the temp neared 34, sunlight filtered through dense gray skies, the snow melted into the earth and pavement.

In that final shot the nuthatch has finally mustered courage to grab one seed from, the tray. The bird must then fly off to some safe perch and chisel off bits. He can’t craush and swallow like the junco with his seedeater’s beak.

954 Ratcliff Drive SE, Marion, Oregon, US
Feb 24, 2022
19 species

Wild Turkey  12
Mourning Dove  6
Downy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  1
California Scrub-Jay  X
American Crow  X
Bushtit  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Bewick’s Wren  1
Eurasian Starling 1
House Finch  2
Pine Siskin  3
Lesser Goldfinch  15
Fox Sparrow  1
Dark-eyed Junco  35
Golden-crowned Sparrow  2
White-throated Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee  1