The songbirds were very hungry all day. I refilled the barkbutter despite the cold air and rushed back indoors. Blue jays and starlings must have been watching. Goldfinches were still wondering what to eat but never looked at the seeds. Bluebirds had some of everything. The mockingbird was still after water but discovered the jelly dish. The brown headed nuthatches ate strictly seeds but the white breasted had some barkbutter balls too. Chaff or anything the nuthatch didn't want got tossed.
Pine warblers alternated between suet and barkbutter balls. The Carolina wren ate everywhere. Starlings preferred barkbutter balls but also ate suet. If it was on the ground, the white throats would consider it food. A pelican cruised over the creek. Crows escorted a hawk out of the area. Vegetation was in the way but the hawk didn't appear bigger than the crows and appeared to be a light tan without markings so I'm guessing Cooper's hawk.
Two pairs of cardinals reluctantly shared the area though one pair clearly dominated. Squirrels also had a "pecking order." Occasionally they also harassed the birds on the ground. With bluebirds, I wasn't so sure. Several doves showed up at lunch. The oriole arrived after all the barkbutter balls were gone. I did not refill the barkbutter balls again - once a day's the limit. In the afternoon, there were flurries of birds competing for a place at the seed feeder. I spotted a bufflehead on the creek, first I've seen this season.
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