More Visitors

Some new visitors have appeared at the feeder; a pair of dark eyed Oregon juncos. They're hyperactive little twitters, and like all juncos, seem to be more abundant in the winter when they're more apt to visit feeders. They're a bit smaller than the house finches who are daily visitors, and they're less frequent guests in my backyard, though they're easy to identify. Despite reports that dark eyed juncos are among the most popular feeder birds, they're much rarer in my small niche -- possibly because of a lack of cover to assuage their nervousness. Theoretically they can visit Utah feeders throughout the year, so we shall see if they return as spring progresses.

Feed-wise, they seem to prefer smaller seeds (not sunflower seeds), and they're platform or ground feeders rather than perching on the feeder itself. I regularly sprinkle mixed seeds that include millet and corn on the patio near the birdfeeder, so hopefully that will help them become comfortable with a new food source.