Blustery start to New Year's Day 2012

The kids and I had great fun with the telescope and birding this afternoon.  Temperatures were in the 60s and the wind was blowing, but we had a very full backyard of birds.  We saw too many to count, but here are a few old friends and newcomers:

Saw the Thrasher a couple times in our front bushes today, too.

Mourning Dove buddies catching what the squirrels dumped.

New to us...a Redwinged Blackbird.  Especially poignant considering the deaths recently...

Always love having woodpeckers in the yard, anytime!

Identification help, please!  He darted in and out so fast, I could not get a clear view or shot of this sparrow-sized friend.

Again, not a great photo, but he was at the suet feeder this morning!  Who is it?

 

 

The little slate blue guy is on the right...apparently friendly with the finches, too!