Some Winter Visitors To My Backyard
After a couple of mild weeks in December, colder weather, and snow, returned to our area here in Northeastern Pennsylvania in January. But, at my home in Hazle Township, Luzerne County, the weather really doesn’t matter to the Winter visitors to my backyard. They show up at my feeders regardless of the weather. I thought I’d share some photos I took of some of these critters. 
The most frequent visitors to my bird feeders are the black-capped chickadees. These tiny cute birds are friendly and often fly to the feeders while I am re-filling them. They are usually one of the first birds at the feeder in the morning and last to leave in the evening, 
One of my favorite bird visitors is a Carolina wren that also shows up early in the morning. It’s song is beautiful and I am glad it remained in my backyard this Winter. 
Another beautiful bird that visits my suet feeder on a daily basis is this red-bellied woodpecker. 
It’s beautiful red crown distinguishes it from the female. 
White-breasted nuthatches also visit the suet feeder as well as the trunks of the oak trees in my backyard where they look for insects underneath the bark. 
Tufted titmice also appear at my feeders daily. 
And sometimes many of the birds are at the feeders at the same time. This nuthatch appeared to be offering the tufted titmouse a seed, 
until it flew off with its seed safely secured in it’s beak. 
There are also always a couple of downy woodpeckers at my suet feeder. I believe, because of their smaller size they are downy and not hairy woodpeckers which are very similar. 
A large flock of dark-eyed juncos lives in the woods near my house and they are always on the ground under the feeders feeding on the fallen seeds. 
House sparrows also show up at my feeders,
as do a number of mourning doves. 
Another beautiful bird, but one I do not like, also shows up regularly at my feeder, the obnoxious blue jays. These noisy birds scare off the other birds when they arrive.
In addition to the birds I also have some mammal winter visitors to my backyard. Squirrels are regulars and some rabbits can be seen in the morning and evening twilight. I haven’t seen them lately but I have heard or have seen tracks of foxes, skunks and raccoons in my backyard. Nightly visitors include a heard of about a dozen deer that feed on come corn and alfalfa I put out. 
I love watching these graceful creatures feed.
I do not put out a lot of food since I just want to supplement their diet and not have them rely on a handout. This causes some fighting for the available food but this is the way of Nature.
As I finish typing this post, the forecast is for arctic temperatures next week. I will have to keep my feeders filled to help my backyard friends survive the cold. Winter is half over and soon their Summer friends will be returning to join them. I can’t wait! Here is a link to a gallery of some more photographs in a gallery on my blog website of the winter visitors to my backyard. January backyard critters. January 2021. 
It is winter time, my friend; buy couple of breads; find a place calm and quiet and feed the birds; and for this action of yours, ask no more reward than their cheerful singings! – Mehmet Murat Ildan
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