25 Jan 2005

Hi,

Among the flock of juncos that are eating scattered sunflower seed behind
our house since the snowfall, is a piebald one (I guess you would call it
this?).  It is the shape and size of the others, with a pink bill, but is
light tea colored on the back, with white front, wings, and tail.  We have
named it Buffy -- probably a bad move as the Coopers flies by regularly, and
a harrier hunts the field in front of the house and occasionally is lured to
the back.

Our house is in a 4-year-old field.  We constructed a brush pile nearby
where the wintering sparrows like to congregate.  The woods are a couple
hundred feet away.  We have had a mixed flock of juncos, sparrows (song,
white crowned, white throat and others I'm not sure of).  A thrasher and
towhee have come yesterday and today, and today 4 cardinals and a titmouse
have ventured up from the woods to join in.

A big surprise to us, we have been feeding since Saturday and have had no
"mobsters" flock in, though we have seen them down the street.  Knock on
wood.

As long as I'm writing...

On a walk on Saturday as the snow began to fall, I flushed out 6 quail.

This morning 4 bluebirds were in the front field.

Be warm,

Carol Jelich
Queenstown, Maryland
Queen Anne's County