Slow and steady is the best way to describe the activity at the bird feeders in Catch the Wind. The local residents are visiting the feeders as usual but there have been few winter birds yet. Our first Pine Siskin didn’t show up until the second week in January last winter and I don’t often see Fox Sparrows until sometime in January, so there’s no need to sound the alarm.

That’s not to say that there are no winter species here at the Museum. There are currently more than just a handful of winter only species, Hermit Thrush and White-throated Sparrow to name a few, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker to name a few more. But, last winter was an exceptional year for Pine Siskins with thousands being reported throughout the state. There were hundreds at our feeders on several occasions. Some years I don’t see any here at the Museum. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Whether or not we get any winter specialists like the siskins and Fox Sparrows (or even Red-breasted Nuthatches) at the feeders this winter it’s still enjoyable to sit back in one of the Adirondak chairs in the feeder area and watch the locals come in and grab a seed or two.

You’re likely to see Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, titmice, chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatch, cardinals, Hermit Thrush (fall-spring) White-throated Sparrows (fall-spring), Mourning Dove, and many other locals while we wait for the specialties to arrive. You might even see a Cooper’s or Sharp-shinned Hawk come bushwacking through while you sit and watch.

Sit, watch, relax and enjoy!