Backyard birds outside today

The winter in the backyard woods. This pine tree in our back yard is huge, about 50 ft. high, and might be the main reason we're lucky enough to have such a variety of birds visit. It's like a bird hotel.

I was trying to get a nice perching shot of this male cardinal and snapped just as he started to fly to the ground to feed. This isn't the best shot, but I'm keeping it because now I'm determined to catch one in flight! It's going to take me bundling up and sit outside for a couple of hours and to be patient, but I'm determined now! (This shot was taken from my bathroom window of all places!)

The male northern cardinal is always so easy to find because of their bright red plumage. That would be the reason you see so many shots here, plus the fact that we're lucky enough to have about 8 pairs of cardinals this year as regular visitors!

This sweet little Carolina wren hangs out mainly in the fall and winter. It might be around in the summer, but I don't notice it as much. We have two visit the yard, and one or both has flown into the house twice! Thank goodness they are friendly little birds that don't panic easily, the happy go lucky bird of the backyard. It was easy to direct them outside. So cute, and this one looks great against the brick pile we planned to use for our firepit. It's turned out to be a great winter feeding station so it's a good thing my hubby decided to go with stone for the firepit!

Ok, this gorgeous summer green may be out of place, but look below and it will make sense...

This is the same tree as above, a huge silver maple, but this is it's winter look. A squirrel was able to get this apple my hubby put out for the deer up to the nook in the tree shown above, about 15 ft. up. I'm sure it was a tasty little snack.

And here is the gorgeous female northern cardinal. They aren't as easy to find to photograph since they blend in so well to the trees. She is quite pretty. Towards the end of February, she'll be amost entirely olive, just in time to lay eggs for springtime. I can't wait to get a shot of her in her glory.



After a bit, I heard a woodpecker in the woods, and I spied where they had been feeding on the trunk of a huge tree. I didn't expect to actually be able to spot them, but this was my lucky day.

This red headed woodpecker appeared pretty quickly and it moves so fast, it's hard to get a good clear shot, but I thought it was worth trying (and keeping) since I don't often catch them with the camera away from the feeders. It's extra special catching them doing their thing, eating bugs under the tree bark.

This little white breasted nuthatch was doing the same thing. So cute, and so quick.