Nice pictures!

Thank you Rita

Very nice photos indeed, I love the Juncos and the Flickers.

Yes, great photos. That Junco is co cute, all fat & small. I've never seen a Junco in person. Northern flickers are colorful despite not having a ton of bright color on them.

Love them both ... the little Junco is a real cutie and oh my, the Flicker is beautiful. Those are two I don't see down this way. Great shots Angele.

Thanks Margaret, Ann & Lin, it is a real smile-maker to have you all to share with
There are so many variations to the Junco and all are really cute. They add a little color to the winter.

Well, had to put out lots of seed this morning. After afew days of not eating much, the birds ate up everything yesterday so that nothing seemed to be left this morning. The numbers of morning doves that come each day seem to be going up. Sometimes big flocks of them where here feeding yesterday.

Well, here's a stretch, but am hoping someone can help me ID a bird. About 4 of them were in my cherry tree, perched up high. I've never seen them before. About the size and body shape of a robin or thrush, perhaps a bit smaller. Very smooth gray back and head, bright white ring around the eye, a bit of streaking on the chin, pale yellow-orange chest. They hung around for a bit then flew off. I looked all through my regional field guide with no luck. Wondering if this rings a bell with anyone. I think at this time of year, we often get random birds on migration (?) Sorry no photo.

Could it have been a waxwing? They love cherries, have a very smooth back, travel in groups. They have a black mask with white around it.

here is a pair of cedar waxwings from last November

It does sound like a waxwing; they are beautiful birds! We see the Cedar Waxwing here in winter; sometimes just one or two at a time and sometimes large flocks! They spend a lot of time in the Black Cherry trees.


More images:

Cedar Waxwing: http://www.google.com/search?q...

Bohemian Waxwing: http://www.google.com/search?q...

Deb, if what you saw aren't waxwings then try this; it is specific to Washington state:
http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb...

Thanks, Ann, I'll give that a whirl. Not a waxwing - no black anywhere and I've had those show up a few times. Very sleek birds. I'll let you know if I see any possibilities from that site.

No luck. The closest was the Townsend Solitaire except this bird had a definite yellow-orange breast. The eye is right, a very definite bulls-eye white around it. I'll hope they come back for another visit and I am able to get a photo. I realize how difficult it is to go from just a written description. Meanwhile, I've starred that web site, good resource. Thanks.

Sure thing Deb. There are a couple more sites with other IDing programs but in the end you look through lots & lots of photos. I hope they come back too so you can get a shot. I looked at some other sites for birds in Washington & always came down to too small a bird or no white eye ring.

I feel like I've looked at every bird known to Washington in the last day or so... Frustrating. Perhaps they were just some out of state visitors stopping for a rest on their migratory path.

That could very well be the case Deb. It's frustrating when you see a bird you can't ID & then they never show again.

Check out some of these Flycatcher types:

http://identify.whatbird.com/o...

http://identify.whatbird.com/o...

http://identify.whatbird.com/o...

http://identify.whatbird.com/o...

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Or perhaps a Vireo?:

http://identify.whatbird.com/o...

http://identify.whatbird.com/o...

Deb, do you recall what type of beak it had? Beak shape & size are great clues as to if it's a seed eater or an insect eater.