Redpolls at the feeder

A couple of the redpolls that have been visiting the mountain off and on since December 21 started showing up at the bird feeders yesterday. This male was particularly aggressive this morning, driving all other birds from both sides of the big feeder before settling in to nosh on sunflower seeds. But by early afternoon, he or another male had learned to share the larger of the round feeders, and to forage on the ground with the other birds as well.

This has also so far been a good winter for house finches and goldfinches, both of which have been coming to the feeder in great numbers. We haven’t seen any purple finches since December.