Birds in the Snow

Yesterday I posted a photo of the "Snow Days" quilt, and my friend said that was probably the reason we had snow today.  She may be right!

Anyway, I am writing this early today because we will be busy this evening.  A little while ago, camera around my neck, I headed out to dump the compost which is in the wooded section of our back yard.  I figured that I might have some luck getting bird photographs because I'd be less conspicuous back there than standing in the middle of the back yard.  Here are a few of the photos.

The first one is of the Hairy Woodpecker.  He is larger than the almost identical Downy who is smaller by three inches.  Since I have rarely see the two of them together so I could compare them, I look at their bills.  The Hairy has a longer one and that's about the only way I can distinguish between the two despite the significant size difference.

Of course, this is a Chickadee with a seed in its bill.

It surprises me how brownish-gray the Junco looks when seen relatively close up.

Junco and male Goldfinch sharing space on the feeder.

Until the Goldfinch takes off with head turned to the left (as seen in the photo) and wings on the downward beat.

The Tufted Titmouse seems to be leaning forward to get a better sense of what I am doing, doesn't he?

I might have been able to stay still long enough to entice some more birds into camera range, but my gloveless hands were uncomfortably cold, and I wimped out.