A new day, a new year, an inch of fresh snow with new flurries through the morning, and a glimpse here and there of blue sky. Around 7:45 this morning I looked out at the feeders and saw a large goldfinch in the crabapple tree that looked too big to be a goldfinch and thought, "a female evening grosbeak!" Birders in northern and western New Hampshire have reported sightings of this favorite bird for several weeks or longer. It's an eruption year due to poor food sources in Canada, so I've been on the lookout for grosbeaks. A wonderful gift for one to arrive in our yard this New Year's Day.
I watched the front yard from our dining room on and off all day from sunup to sundown. We tallied an amazing number of bird species: 18 for the day. Surprisingly, cardinals, so plentiful a few weeks ago, were absent. Three crows that had been visiting regularly were also missing today. But it was a joyful mix of birds that shared the bounty of sunflower seeds and beef suet.
In decreasing order of abundance in our yard today: European starling (13), northern junco (12), wild turkey (10 - our regular flock, arrived at 9:45), house finch (9), black-capped chickadee (5), eastern bluebird (4), purple finch (3), tufted titmouse (3), downy woodpecker (3), American goldfinch (3), red-bellied woodpecker (a pair), mourning dove (2), white-breasted nuthatch (1), hairy woodpecker (1), blue jay (1), and three favorites: evening grosbeak! (female), northern flicker (female), and yellow-bellied sapsucker (female).
Only two gray squirrels ventured out. The wind kicked up around noon so they must have stayed snug in their tree nests.
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