Well it was easy to get some photos of small birds for the #SMaP Show Me A Photo Contest - details here as our yard is filled with the cute redpolls, a very hardy little bird that we only see in the winter and they come here only when there is a shortage of their food supply in the more northern areas of Canada and up in the Artic where they breed. Once the snow starts melting I imagine they will head off to their breeding grounds but I'll enjoy them while they are here.
Cute Male Redpole with Beautiful Coloring
Male Redpole Checking Me Out
Another Redpole Head Cocked checking Me Out
I see the redpolls on the snow a lot. I'm not sure if they are eating snow for moisture or picking out the debris in the snow for food.
Redpolls Check Out Snow on Spruce Tree
Redpoll Coming in for a Landing on Snow Patch
They are such busy birds flying around in flocks and it is by the feeders that we see the largest flocks gathering. They seem to like to fed off the ground a lot even more so then the feeder.
Redpolls at Feeder
Flock of Redpolls on the Snow by the Feeder
Here you can see and hear the busy little redpolls as they were coming around the feeder where a downy woodpecker was feeding. He eventually chased them away.
Redpolls Cleaning Up Seeds Under the Feeder
I learnt a cool fact about the redpolls from the Daily Gazette
that they have
a special pouch in which the birds can store seeds for later consumption.This way, redpolls can load up on food when the feeding is favorable and then save some for a midnight snack. This is particularly important for a bird that must contend with the extended hours of darkness that come with the Canadian winter.
I think that is what the two birds below are doing...
Redpoll Filling It's Special Pouch With Seeds
Here the redpolls are waiting in the trees for their turn at the feeder.
Redpolls Watching From the Bushes
Here's my last shot of the redpolls heading off into the trees
Silhouettes of Redpolls Coming to Perch in Tree Top
The other small bird that we have plenty of is the chickadee. I love their cheerful call and they are not very skittish so you can get really close to them. You can here the chickadee's call in the video below.
Black Capped Chickadees Cleaning Up Seed Under Feeder
Close Up black Capped Chickadee On Chokecherry Bush
Listen in to the chickadee calling with the sound of the bluejays in the background...
And off he goes and that is the last of my bird photos for this round of #SMaP
Bird images are for the #FeatheredFriends community hosted by
The photos were taken with my Canon PowerShot SX60 HS.
Thanks for stopping by!