The Birds of Winter Storm Jonas

With the gentle snow falling on Friday, the first day of Winter Storm Jonas, the birds were very active in our backyard feeders and heated birdbath. I took these photos through our kitchen and dining room windows in the later afternoon and thought you would like to see them.

A Carolina Wren perches on a metal rooster. These active little birds are not as perky in the winter snow.

They puff up so much. This wren is content eating the seed that falls on the deck or the ground.

The Dark-eyed Junco, a bird who prefers to spend winter here rather than Maine or Canada, waits for his turn at the thistle seed feeder. He doesn't seem to mind the snowflakes on his face.

And when not eating thistle seed, the Dark-eyed Junco enjoys the heated bird bath.

This male Downy Woodpecker hides out below the deck railing waiting for his turn at the suet feeder.

The female Downy Woodpecker also waits for her turn to enjoy suet which is great for birds during winter!

Winter Birding In Raymondale: The Brown Creeper

Winter birding can be "easy" birding because you don't have foliage to hide the birds. Granted the birds are fewer this time of year, and their plumage isn't generally as brilliant, but we do have some birds here in winter that don't stay here in the warmer seasons. The Dark-eyed Junco and the White-throated Sparrow as well as the more elusive Golden-crowned Kinglet are our winter visitors. But a smaller bird that we have seen in our back yard hopping up the oak trees is the Brown Creeper.

Winter is a great time to spot this 5 inch long bird. They spiral up the trunks of the biggest tree they can find, probing in the bark for tasty insect larvae. They always move with their head up, unlike the White-breasted Nuthatch which prefers to glean food while going headfirst down the tree. The Brown Creeper is solitary and you won't find them in flocks. So keep your attention on the tree trunks and if you see movement it may very well be a Brown Creeper!