Just Hangin' with My Peeps

One of the fun things about backyard birding is that you just never know who may show up in a flock of familiar birds.  You have to check carefully.  At first glance, it may seem like just a bunch of the usual suspects, but you may find the one odd bird in there just traveling along with his birdie pals.
This is also a good way to get one for your life list without even trying!

I first discovered this when a flock of winter Goldfinches descended upon my feeder a few years ago.  They loved that feeder and I got used to seeing them there until one day a bright yellow bird, not a Goldfinch, mind you, was found among them.

Come to find out Pine Warblers like to travel with winter Goldfinches!

Just recently while going through my old birding photos, I came across this bird that as an inexperienced birder I had passed over as a winter Goldfinch.  I had just heard through the wire that Pine Siskins were seen in backyards traveling with the Goldfinches.  And what do you know? 

Pine Siskin Serendipity.

Woodpeckers!

Woodpeckers may be some of the old standbys when it comes to birding, but they are always a welcome sight.  They are so striking and have such personality with their contrasting colors and odd calls.  I've seen a lot of them in North Carolina.  Most of them in my own backyard.  In fact the only creatures I've seen more of are spiders! (But that's another story!)

Downy Woodpecker

Where have you been all my life?  Finally, a Northern Flicker!

Pileated Woodpecker

Redheaded Woodpecker

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker

Red Bellied Woodpecker
I would have named it the Red Capped Woodpecker myself.

Fall Friends

Not much doing this fall in my world of birding.  I have seen nothing new,  just old standbys, but it is nice to see and hear the Brown Headed Nuthatches again.  I remember the first time I saw one at my backyard feeder--I almost peed my pants.  I thought I'd found a brown capped chickadee!