Townsend's warbler

Yesterday after I got back from Nisqually I finally got to work on setting some feeders out. I haven't really had bird food out for eons. I had been putting out some sunflower seed for the chickadees and nuthatches on occasion, but that is it. I got some suet and some seed mix, as well as some mix for woodpeckers, and a suction plastic window feeder just to see if I'd have any takers. I put that on the kitchen window, which overlooks the backyard, putting it about 2 feet from me when I'm doing dishes.

Today, being the first full day of food, I wasn't expecting many visitors. I had the good luck of a really nice day on my side, and woke up to some skittish crows wanting to go to the feeder that had the woodpecker mix in it. About 9:30 am there was a commotion at the suet feeder, and I looked to see it covered in bushtits. Soon there were some junco's checking out the situation, and then both kinds of chickadees came. Just as I was starting to wonder when the nuthatch would show up, there he was, and then this yellow bird showed up. It was new to me, as I went rushing to identify it. Next thing I know, there's an Anna's hummingbird checking out the seed feeder. The junco's and the chickadees stayed all day, with a chestnut chickadee braving the window feeder several times as I was doing dishes. I think the nice day brought out even the non-seed eaters, as in the back there was a towhee and song sparrow rooting about, as well as a Bewick's wren. The Townsend's and Anna's both paid another visit, and at 4 pm, it's getting dark, and the junco's and chickadees are still here.

So in other words, it was a singular success, this first day of backyard feeding. I had a good crow, and I want to put it up, but in learning a bit about this Townsend's warbler, I learned that it doesn't winter here normally, and I'm not sure about how often it may visit. This is the best photo of it I got, it's not perfect by any means, but you do get an idea of what I saw. Unfortunately you can't ask a bird to pose, although my heron yesterday did a good job of it for me.

Happy New Year's everyone, I hope 2012 brings many good things for you.