Female White-breasted Nuthatch
This looks to be a female White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) – can you determine why? The crown stripe on this bird is gray rather than the solid black of a male. This lovely lady inquisitively watched me for a moment before continuing to forage with what seems to me to be a tad higher than average numbers of the species in our region. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreDark-eyed Junco variation
The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) is a favorite of mine from years of feeder watching. Staring at dozens of them at a time through the glass and thousands upon thousands over the years certainly taught me that they are such a variable species in terms of appearance. Not only do the browns, grays, and tans take on different hues, the birds sometimes appear to have distinct features that are not “right” for the species with streaking on the belly or flanks, eye-rings, and even wing bars! On a dark and dreary autumn day it can be a lot of fun to find a flock of birds to examine...
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