#birds This little chickadee has grabbed a big mouthful of the bluebird food!

#birds A little sunshine from a Pine Warbler.

#birds I took this photo many years ago after setting up our "fence" around the bluebird food platter. The blue jays had been eating it all and leaving none for others. (They now have their own tray). This blue jay was the epitome of pouting-he has his back to the feeder.

#birds Eastern bluebird with a dark-eyed junco, both seen often this winter.

#birds Sunday - a lazy squirrel day. Just waiting for all the food to get scattered by Blue Jays and Mourning Doves.

#blueskyartshow #wood An old stump, looking like it's holding cryptic messages from times past, taken in Jamaica.

#birds A happy bluebird pair taking a break from nest-building, for Valentine's Day!

#birds A warmish day today has me longing for spring. Here's an eastern bluebird with blooming dogwood trees in the background.

#birds A young rose-breasted grosbeak

#birds Seen from afar, grackles look completely black. Seen close and with a bit of sun, they are much more nuanced.

#birds A very fluffy white-throated sparrow.

#birds I love when I get a collection of cardinals in the snow.

#birds Took a photo of a Goldfinch and then he turned to me and looked to be complaining about the lack of heat!

#birds Don't often get American robins at our house, but this one showed up looking for a nice long drink of unfrozen water.

#blueskyartshow #sunlight Over time, sunlight always creeps back into places that man has made dark.

#birds What a face! White-throated sparrow.

#birds A grackle and a blue jay exchanging news. Our flock of grackles has moved on but the blue jays hang out all year.

#birds A pretty little goldfinch pecking on the suet.

#birds Bluebirds must really be the bird of happiness. At least, they always make me happy.

#birds We've had a flock of black birds show up in the last few days, somewhere between 25-30 common grackles and a few red-winged blackbirds mixed in. They seem to take turns just fine with the other birds so I'm not shooing them off.

#birds A house finch flashing his colorful upper tail feathers.

#birds A blue jay gives me a look.

#blueskyartshow #clouds Clouds are great canvases on which the sun paints.

#birds Eastern bluebirds and finches sharing the "watering hole."

#birds Goldfinch with a bright spot on its back.

#birds A sweet Carolina wren, all floofy against the cold.

#birds A cardinal and a mourning dove wait for space at the feeding trays.

#birds short video of a blue jay doing his "glass notes" call. I love how they kind of jump while letting it go. I wish I could have caught the sound but a window between us muffled it too much to catch.

#birds We're getting sleet now and the eastern bluebirds are wearing it on their heads.

#birds A red-winged blackbird in snow.

#blueskyartshow #cold This eastern bluebird is cold!

#birds Goldfinches in the snow. Minnesota, you have golden people standing out in the cold to protect their neighbors. Thank you!

#birds Two bluebirds have each other's back, just like so many people in Minnesota!

#birds On Woodpecker Wednesday, here is a lovely Red-bellied woodpecker posing on the crepe myrtle.

#birds On Titmouse Tuesday, here's a titmouse hanging out with an eastern bluebird in the bluebird feeder. I think the titmouse thinks of itself as an honorary bluebird.

#birds Taking a break to catch the guys who hang out under the bird feeders. A squirrel is searching for an old cache, I think.

#birds Female cardinal, male eastern bluebird and a chickadee, all contemplating life on a foggy morning.

#birds At last, a sane (and female) governor for Virginia.

@blueskyartshow #one One Luna moth on siding greening with moss.

#birds The patient watcher.

#birds It's very hard to be sad when Eastern Bluebirds grace your window view.

#birds It's Wrensday, so here is a Carolina Wren.

#birds This downy woodpecker is peeking over the edge of the tray feeder, seeing if that big mourning dove will chase him away.

#birds This little Carolina Wren may be getting more than he/she can chew!

#birds A quirky cardinal tries to cheer me up but it's not really working. Nice of him to try though.

#birds Is 5 enough for a protest--yes, yes it is! We joined a lot more than 5 today to protest loudly!

#blueskyartshow #vibrant This vibrant male summer tanager is singing and full of life.

#birds We've had quite a few of these finches recently-I think they are female purple finches. They are darker than our usual house finches. It's nice to have something to ponder besides the news from "out there."

#birds A cardinal and a European starling, together sharing a suet cake.

#birds A red-bellied woodpecker for Wednesday, digging into a nice bit of suet.