I envy your close Kinglet look! This was the closest and steadiest look
I've gotten yet. Usually they seem to be hanging near the tops of the
trees and they're very active to say the least. I know what you mean
about the Siskins--they're still number one on our feeder. They get
muscled out on occasion by the Red-Winged Blackbirds and, oddly enough,
the Northern Flickers! Seeing a Flicker hanging on a tube feeder loaded
with sunflower chips is an odd sight--usually one foot on a middle
perch, the other foot gripping the bottom edge of a top feeding hole and
the Flicker eating away. Even more fun when it's two females, one on
each side. The feeder swings enough that they should get seasick! They
seem to like the tube feeder as much as the suet feeder. I've noticed
the ground feeders trying to get the hang of it as well. Our Juncos
have been giving it a try and this morning a more determined than normal
Towhee was trying. Maybe I need longer perches. Or just need to put
out more ground seed. :) I'm going to try and get a digital picture or
two of the Flickers and our adventurous tube-feeding ground feeders.
And still no Rufous.....(sigh)

Bryn Kildow
Olympia, WA

Nancy wrote:

> We saw a golden crowned Kinglet during the winter storm in January here in
>Renton. The snow was coming down as he was foraging on the trail around the
>Cedar River reservoir. We walked right up to him he was so tame. There
>have also been several hanging around our yard, but they never come to the
>feeder.
>
> The first group of Evening Grosbeaks visited our feeder this week. They
>are able to scare those aggressive little Pine Siskins away temporarily.
>The Pine Siskins hog the feeder. I have counted 25-30 at a time. It is
>difficult to count them they move so fast.
>
> Still no sighting of our male rufous hummingbirds.
> Nancy
> nland at nwlink.com
>