Highlights of 15 species detected today in occasional observations around my backyard feeding station here in Norwich village (VT) were a continuing Red-bellied Woodpecker male, a continuing Northern Mockingbird, and my first sighting in recent weeks of a White-throated Sparrow at this location.

The woodpecker, the mockingbird, and a variety of other species feed on the suet which has been available here at only one small feeder. 

In a hierarchy of species visiting the suet feeder, dominant, generally larger, birds displace others when flying into that feeder or, when on the suet, are are not displaced by an approach of another species. Blue Jays, of which as many as 10 were present together today, often dominate the suet feeder. Only the male Red-bellied Woodpecker has dominated the jays at that suet. The jays, in turn, are dominant at the suet to the mockingbird, Hairy Woodpeckers, and other smaller species. The visiting crows are large enough to be capable of dominating all the other species at the suet feeder, but the crows have not been going to the suet apparently because they cannot readily reach the suet inside the feeder.

Although a male Red-bellied Woodpecker has been coming for suet, apparently daily, in recent days, a female has been seen here only a few times in recent weeks, and then feeding only at a sunflower seed feeder. I’ve not seen both male and female Red-bellies here at the same time. It would be interesting to know whether this pair of Red-bellies is the same that nested along nearby Blood Brook in Norwich this past summer.

An American Robin was near the feeding station today but not seen at the feeders.

A mockingbird, presumably the same individual here today, has been sighted in Norwich village during this December, a time of year when occurrence of that species here is particularly unexpected. Thanks to Phyllis Katz for additional information about the mockingbird in Norwich. 

Two American Tree Sparrows here today equalled the high count for this location in recent weeks.

An estimated 16 Dark-eyed Juncos together here today provided a high count for recent days at this location.

In recent years, a few White-throated Sparrows have visited this feeding station daily throughout the winter, but this year, with a relatively mild early winter, no White-throats have been detected here in recent weeks until today when a single bird appeared.

As in other recent winters, a scattered flock of Northern Cardinals, presumably on their way to roost, arrive daily in the backyard at dusk when the birds are difficult to see and count in dim light. This evening my maximal counts were only four each for males and females, but higher counts for cardinals on previous days suggest the possibility that as many as at least seven pairs might be roosting together nearby.

More details on today’s observations are available at http://ebird.org/ebird/vt/view/checklist?subID=S26381655

George Clark

Norwich, VT