End of the Week

.

Last week ended with only one first-of-season sighting at CyFair when I came across an American Pipit grazing just outside the Library.

Before the soccer fields were turned into parking areas, we used to regularly get flocks of 20 or so Pipits. I suspect we won't be seeing flocks that that again this winter.

Back at home our feeders continued to attract a range of birds, from Northern Mockingbird and White-winged Doves to Orange-crowned Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. As usual, the latter is proving to be difficult to photograph.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler has taken up residence in our elm and is fiercely territorial, chasing away any other Yellow-rumped that appears. It chases off our Orange-crowned Warbler(s), too.

We have American Goldfinch but only a few so far. No doubt more will turn up as the winter sets in and other food supplies become scarcer.

Our resident pair of Downy Woodpeckers comes regularly to the suet feeders. They are among the least shy of all our birds.

As usual, though, the most numerous species is the House Finch. There were nine of them on our feeders yesterday.

.