I had to start with a hummy, because they’re my favorite. How anyone can tire of seeing them I don’t know – but if you have, my apologies. The original photograph is amazing, the little splotch on her throat is a red feather that has been magnified by a drop of nectar (sugar water) that’s trailed down her beak onto her neck. We’ve been watching her for days, she’s feeding quite a bit, which I understand means that cold weather is very near. (waah!)

This is a Red Breasted Nuthatch. This one is new to our yard, I’ve never seen one in person before. I thought it was a Chickadee at first, until I saw the color of his breast. He’s smaller than our White Breasted Nutties, but does act as skittish and flighty as a Chickadee.

This pitiful looking House Finch gal has conjunctivitis. “Pink eye” spreads like wildfire among house finches, and it’s got nearly every one of them that visits our yard now. I spotted a male who was probably 90% blinded by it and when he flew, he couldn’t see to land – so he kept trying to land on things until he flew straight into a tree. It’s sad, because they do become completely blinded by the disease and die from it, or from the side effects of it, like running into stuff. There was a female at our feeder a week or two ago, and I walked right up to her and tried to give her some thistle. She didn’t even know I was there.

This is just pitiful, isn’t it? It’s a CardiVulture. (haha!) Really, this Cardinal is just molting, but man he’s scary looking. Big bald black head and bulgy eyes next to a bright red beak – stuck on top of a red floofy feathered body. Seriously, this must be torture for him. I’m sure he’s not used to being so freaky looking! His baby girl flew into the studio window a couple of days ago and I think she broke her wing. I tried to help her but she was well enough to hop away – not well enough to fly. I didn’t see where she went, but she did go in the opposite direction of the danger zone (where she surely would have been an afternoon snack), so I hope she’s okay and found a safe place to recover, if they recover from broken wings, that is.