Chickadees and Nuthatches

                                    Always willing to take offerings

                                    Almost comical and fearless

                                    Decisions__Decisions      

                                    Black oil sunflower seed is a favourite

                                
                                    Red-breasted nuthatch

                                    White-breasted nuthatch

                                    Raw hulled sunflower is a favourite too

                                    Peanuts will do occasionally

                                    Expecting a handout
                                  

Woodpeckers of Toronto

Woodpeckers rely upon home and land owners saving trees that have reached the end of their lives. Dead and dying trees and cut-off stumps hold a real smorgasbord for hungry woodpeckers who have daily stop-offs to fill up on grubs and other insects. Placing suet cakes in trees and shrubs in your yard will also attract them, allowing you to get closeup views of their secretive lives. Anyone who has heard the chilling calls of the pileated woodpecker when it is close by never forgets it .

                                                           Female Downie

                                                         male downie                      

                                                            Male Downie

female hairy

male hairy

                                                                   

                                                      Male Pileated

                                           Typical Pileated evidence

                

                                      A fleeting silouette

     Other times, very co-operative

                                                 Yellow-Shafted Flicker                  

     

yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Red Bellied Woodpecker                   

               

A new home?

   Flicker Take-off

downie on suet 

                                        

Cardinals and Blue Jays...they entertain us

Cardinals and Bluejays can be entertaining when other, more exotic species are absent. Taking peanut offerings and trustingly performing, sometimes within a few feet they allow us to see their brilliant plumage and flashing flights while we await those eagles, hawks, owls etc.

             In winter, he is so brilliant in contrast to bare branches and snow drifts.

        This character catches peanuts tossed in the air, flying off to stash them 

Cedar Waxwings enjoying mountain ash berries.

These beautiful waxwings were gorging themselves on the ripe mountain ash berries and were quite unconcerned about anyone wanting to approach closely to catch the moment. Generally, they flee when one gets too near their chosen trees. The last image is a juvenile

(note striped breast)