This extreme cold brings out all the birds....

The low temps and ice and dusting of snow are really bringing out all the local birds hoping for food.  When I can keep the small band of Starlings and other blackbirds chased away long enough for the smaller birds to come in, I get a nice mixture of birds at the feeders.

 Cute little sparrow.....American Tree Sparrow, I think.

 A male Cardinal with a few male and female Red-winged Blackbirds.

 I had a couple of Bluebirds stop by.  I'm betting they wish they had not come this far north yet!  Normally the temps would be fine and not so cold.

 One of the Bluebirds looking very cold.

 A sparrow and Mr. Cardinal.  Lots of Cardinals.  Junco on the edge of the photo.

 Mr. and Mrs C.

I find if I throw a bunch of the seed into the bushes at the end of the drive that the Starlings and other blackbirds don't go in after it.  That lets the Cardinals, sparrows, Towhee, and Juncos have a chance to get some of it at least. 

A group of mostly Cowbirds around the feeding pole. 

Downy male 

Downy female 

 Mockingbird trying real hard to get low to eat the suet.  He could sit on the other end of the stick and not have to do all that bending.

 Mr. Red-bellied Woodpecker

 Mr. Red-wing with 3 females.

Two of the many male Cardinals and a sparrow again. 

I even took a couple of shots of the Starlings.  I don't mind 1 or 2, but when there are a dozen, nobody else gets any food.  I was hoping to save some of the suet for the Downy and the Wren by putting it in this feeder that they can hang underneath of if they have to.  I've seen the Downy hanging there.

Towhee male. 

Carolina Wren and something else on the back side, maybe a Titmouse.

Looking cold and blustery.

Welcome bit of sunshine.

I saw most of my favorite birds except the Chickadees and Titmice.  They eat at the feeders out on the deck mostly and it is harder to get photos of them there.

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Well, hopefully my next post will have cactus in it instead of snow!

I feel badly about leaving my home birds without food in this cold weather.  With any luck this may be the last of the real cold spells for this winter.  We've certainly had plenty of unseasonably cold weather so far.  Enough is enough!  I'm ready for spring or at least normal temps for awhile.