• Friday-What'sUP November 27 - 08:56 am

When I first saw the top photo by Joyce Tormala, I wasn't quite sure what kind of bird it is. But upon closer inspection I could see the markings of a Nuthatch, just at a different angle than I'm used to seeing. Guess I never realized what a long beak these little birds have either.

The other bird today, is from Donna MacIntosh, who caught a Chickadee with a sunflower seed in it's mouth. Those suction cup, window feeders sure get you in close to the action. Donna also snapped the third photo of a fly getting itself a drink. Unusual to have flies around UP North in November, but with the warmer temps we've had, there have been a few more bugs around than normal. I'm sure the birds in today's photos appreciate having a few bugs around for a late fall snack, too.

I had no idea that flies had a built in straw for drinking till I took that picture. My Mom gave me the suction cup feeders, and I believe she may have bought them at Quality Hardware in LL. I love chickadees and nuthatches. Are there different names for the small ones than the large ones? There was a cool special on chickadees in Minnesota on PBS last nite.

KEEP VOTING FOLKS: http://playday.kaboom.org/
U.P. POWER!!!

Thanks!

I was just watching those same two birds outside my window as I ate breakfast here in Ohio. When I saw these pics I thought someone must have been spying on me! Or, more accurately, on my feathered friends.

I feed wild birds near the window of my lutino Cockatiel's (Baja) room, between him and the wild birds they can get quite the conversations going.

Great pics today :) Donna I hope you dont mind that a troll is voting to...lol

That is specifically a White-breasted Nuthatch -- very handsome bird and a nice picture, Joyce.

Are you kidding? I LOVE all the votes!!!

Chickadees and nuthatches are seen at bird feeders this time of year in southeast Indiana.

We used to love watching the nuthatches walk up and down the sides of the trees in our backyard in Red Jacket; however, the real clowns are the chickadees. I remember times when I couldn't even get the food in the feeder fast enough before they'd be landing on the feeder, the bag of food, and me!! We rarely get chickadees here; mostly we get cardinals, goldfinches, and lots of different sparrows...

Then there is the Red Breasted Nuthatch, A smaller close cousin to the White Breasted, and year round resident of the UP and NLP found usually only down here in the SLP in winter.

Also the Tufted Titmouse a bird of the south and LP of MI now being seen more & more in the UP these days extending its range north as many species are now doing.

Look also for Boreal Chickadees an uncommon resident in parts of the UP and very occasionally the NLP. It has a brown cap rather then black!

Seen more often in the winter but a year round resident all across the state is the Brown Creeper a tiny version of a nuthatch Wren size, but goes up & down the trees head up rather then head down as the nuthatches! All these can also be seen visiting feeders.

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Tufted Titmouse!

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Awesome, awesome stuff! I LOVE watching these birds...all of them...honored to feed them, humbled to be able to!

And keep voting...Ontonagon can't possibly care if it's Yoopers, Trolls, Pink with purple polka dots, or whatever...just VOTE~

Thanks for all the bird scoop today!

Just voted again!!!Somemore great pics. Dont think Iv seen a Brown Creeper down here. Ill have to watch the feeder alittle more then I do.

Russ, those photos are FANTASTIC! Super job. Thanks.

Donna, you have a VERY nice photo album. I'm using this one right now as my desktop background.
http://gallery.pasty.com/displayimage.php?album=2591&pos=61

I've also been voting every day for Ontonagon.

We just voted again, too. WOW! Over 11,000 votes ahead of the next one. :o) 4 more days to vote.

Great subject(s) today! Seems so many like to feed the birds everywhere you go!
Joyce and Donnas photos are top notch!

(Rhb): Brown Creepers are not a whole lot bigger then a Hummingbird, streaked brown on the top so they amazingly really camouflage in to tree bark. They often look like a real big bug scurrying up and down a tree trunk.

I've voted too, of course for Ontonagon!

Donna, I'm voting every day from AZ. I was born in the U.P. though. Loved the pics today.

Can not sleep. ;O(

An elderly couple that Bill does work for is having a big problem with a squirrel that keeps getting into the bird feeder. He says he has tried everything he read about, but it keeps getting in. He put a piece of pvc piping around the stand and it still got in. He said he saw the squirrel climb up it.

I agree with you Russell. I've always loved Joyce's photos and also yours. Very nice bird pictures you posted here. I'd just never looked at Donna's album before.

It's almost time to vote again for Ontonagon.