Thank Heavens for Backyard Feeders

It's been more than a month since I had any time to go birding and the last time was with a group of Boy Scouts working on their Bird Study Merit Badge. Here are a few of my backyard visitors.



American Goldfinch and Pine Siskin










Black-capped
Chickadee

European Starling

 

Spotted Towhee










Dark Eyed Junco Oregon Race

 

Dark Eyed Junco Slate Colored Race











Downy Woodpecker











Northern Flicker Red-shafted









House Finch












Western Scrub Jay












California Quail










Eurasian Collared Dove











Sharp-shinned Hawk

I just realized that I have no pictures of the most common visitor to my backyard feeders, the House Sparrow. Mark Stackhouse once said while guiding us on a tour of Deseret Ranch that many birders fail to list birds like house sparrows, rock pigeons and starlings because they are all so common. I guess it's true.