• Thursday-What'sUP February 16 - 10:01 pm

If you're a birder, you're loving today's photos from Melanie Hakala Rossi. She treats us to several close-up shots of a Common Redpoll, a small songbird that we only see during the winter months here in the Upper Peninsula, since it lives further north during the summer months. So while many other birds are heading south to survive the winter, this little bird graces our feeders looking for smaller seed, such as thistle.

Melanie also captured a Chickadee, looking down over the top of the little bird. These birds stick around the area year round and make shooting photos of them a snap, as they warm up to people pretty easily. Melanie said that she actually shot this one looking down from her window at it. What a fun angle to view this little Keweenaw resident.

Birdwatching is a wonderful past time to while away the winter hours here UP North. There's something very calming about watching all the birds flitting back and forth from feeder to the trees and back again.

WOW! Great Photos...love watching them and listening too!

I love birds! Love taking pictures of them at my feeders in Mt. Clemens. My condo backs up to woods so I get to see a lot of cardinals (my favorites). I counted 10 of them at one time last weekend, 5 females and 5 males. Love to watch the woodpecker on my suet feeder. Have a great day all.

These are awesome pictures! Especially the first one!

I agree w/Janie..that first one would be a stunning card! Great stuff Mel! As usual!

I thought the same thing, Donna. It was like I woke up in a Hallmark store.
Well done!

I agree with Janie too. That first picture is totally awesome!

I love birds!!

A wonderful photo of a favorite bird. I appreciate anything that considers northern Michigan 'south'.

About ten years ago there was an outbreak of Salmonella in Redpolls in my area. It was being transmitted from bird to bird through droppings at feeders. I found many dead birds and called the DNR who said to have me neighbors take all birdfeeders down and sterilize them with bleach. I didn't see any Redpolls for several years until their numbers recovered.

Oh gosh, do I remember the "Redpoll Invasions" we used to have at our feeders in Red Jacket; several hundred birds at a time. I'm not sure if folks know, but there are two varieties of Redpolls that visit during the winters months; the Common Redpoll pictured above, and the much rarer Hoary Redpoll that can be seen traveling with the Common. Also, Redpolls don't always come as far south as the UP every winter. I've been told that only when there is a shortage of food will they migrate to the northern US.

Just to add: there is a great website developed by The Cornell University Lab of Ornithology called All About Birds which has everything you ever wanted to know about birds and more.

Beautiful! That first photo is very unique, looks almost like an unfinished painting, what with all the white of the snow.
I saw a robin 'couple' in my backyard this morning. A promise of spring!

Charlie---In the "this day in history" this morning there is an image of a silver dollar, but it seems to have been worked on. Between the wings there are what looks like drill marks. What's with that?

Pretty bird.

Speaking of winter birds---Check this out!

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Richard Wieber
The 1804 silver dollar shown is one of the rarest and most famous US coins. The obverse side contains symbols from the Great Seal of the United States. The "drill marks" are depiction of the cloud puffs surrounding the constellation of 13 stars on the seal.

Birds of sunfall passing in my eyes
Far off in the patterns of storm clouds,
How I wish to freeze you in my thoughts
And paint my poem on skies of yours.

Birds of sunfall singing your song
Pouring o'er hues at the trees of fall,
How I wish to flutter with you beside
And douse my wings at silent shores.

Birds of sunfall, of poets' surmise
Gliding towards where you belong
How I wish to predict your paths
And come to where completeness moors.

Birds of sunfall, this evening dies,
Come to my windows and prove me wrong.

That's beautiful, Hollidays.

It was a pleasant bonus on my trip last week to Jacksonville, Florida area when I heard robins chirping and a mocking bird singing it's melodies for all it was worth. Looking forward to our redwing blackbirds announcing their return around here.

Second photo...trying to hatch dinosaur egg.

Kay, the mockingbird is my favorite bird! It's also the Tennessee State Bird.