Chestnut-backed chickadee and underside of red-breasted nuthatch
The birds are hungry today. I barely got the suet feeder hung back up before they came swarming in, filling the dogwood tree with their chirps and twitters. First three or four chickadees–chestnut-backed and black-capped. Then a red-breasted nuthatch, floowed by a pair of kinglets.
Red-breasted nuthatch
I rushed inside to get my camera. The kinglets had left, but new birds kept arriving–a song sparrow, a couple house finches, a flicker, a scrub jay, juncos. They swept in and out of the tree and the feeders faster than my camera could catch them.
Black-capped chickadee
Grab a sunflower seed and fly off to eat it; peck a bit of suet, then zip away. In and out of the autumn-colored dogwood they went, as my frantic camera clicked. Hungry birds getting ready for the winter.
Sparrow Thoughts 
Even from way over here on the opposite coast (PA), I can appreciate your frantic flurry of camera clicks. Those chickadees & nuthatches won’t stay still!
Chickadees and nuthatches are definitely busy little birds. Fun to watch, but hard to photograph.
What a blessing to see all that variety at once. We have never had any chickadees come to our feeders. Last year were our first ever white-breasted nuthatches. I hope they come back. Today, it’s only been juncos, house sparrows, blue jays and a red-bellied woodpecker. Even so, I do enjoy watching them.
It was quite a variety at once, quite exciting! Do you take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count in February? I always enjoy that.
I’ve thought about it, but just haven’t signed up yet. Lordwilling, we will be participating in the Christmas Bird Count. We have asked to be put together with an experienced birder, because there is so much yet that cannot ID out in the field.
I haven’t taken part in the Christmas Count since I was a kid, but would love to do it again. Maybe this year… You really should try the Great Backyard Bird Count. It’s very undemanding, but fun.
Interesting. I’ve never seen any of these names birds, and only heard of a few of them. I thought chickadee only came as part of a set that started with “my little”.
I understand, Ken. I had never heard of most of the birds I read about in Trevor’s blog, although some of them have quite intriguing names. And chickadees are cute little birds, but rather demanding. Today I was chopping firewood close to the bird feeder. They wanted to eat, but didn’t want to get that close to me and the ax, so they were scolding me from the dogwood tree. I tried to hurry, so they could have their afternoon snack. So I’m not sure if “my little chickadee” would always be considered a compliment.
If you really, really want some Australian birds for your very own, I think I can help. We’ve just had a koel move into our neighbourhood. I would cheerfully box him up and send him to you. I think about this usually around 3 or 4 am when he starts up.
Ken, that is so generous of you to offer to share your neighborhood birds. I have not heard of this bird, but from the sound of it (so to speak), I think I would be just as happy if you didn’t share.