Sharp-shinned Hawk (juvenile)

These two photos were taken fifteen minutes apart. In the first one, he is perched on the fence near our feeders. In the second one, he is eating his lunch on the back fence.

Sharing the Feeder

This is what a typical day at the thistle seed feeder looks like. We have "Petie" the one-eyed house finch (top left), a pine siskin (bottom left), and two goldfinches on the right.

Below are "Petie" and a goldfinch trying to stay warm in the Aspen tree.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (juvenile)

Our yard has been a popular hang-out for predators this morning! Less than an hour after the Merlin swooped in, this juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk came to take a swipe at our feeder birds.

Merlin (female)

This Merlin swooped in for a surprise attack on our Goldfinches today. The first things I noticed about her were the shape of her wings in flight (very angular and pointed) and her overall small size.

The goldfinches took off in such a hurry that one of them smashed into my patio door window and lay stunned on the porch. Apparently, it recovered just fine because when I went out to pick it up it took off before I could touch it.

House Finch (male)

I just had to post these cute pictures of house finches. They and the goldfinches are the only birds that come every day to the feeders without fail.

American Kestrel (male)

This guy tried to eat one of our birds! -Kennedy

He came two days in a row to scatter the birds at our feeder. Cute and surprisingly small, but deadly! -Amy

Slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco (male)

This little guy was only around for a few days. He caught my eye because he didn't look quite the same as the "Oregon" Juncos we've got. According to my Sibley field guide, he's a "Slate-Colored" Dark-eyed Junco, Canadian Rocky Mountains variant. Big name for such a small bird! Apparently they nest in the Canadian Rockies and this one is spending the winter here in Utah.

European Starling (winter plumage)

Here is a European Starling in winter plumage - dark bill, blackish overall with small white spots.  A flock of about five or six of them stopped by today.

Loggerhead Shrike

I was so excited to see a new bird land right in front of me as I looked out the window! I barely had time to grab my camera and get three shots. He stayed for less than a minute, and I will be very surprised if I ever see him again. He wasn't checking the feeder for seeds, by the way, he was probably looking for dinner in the shape of a finch. Shrikes feed on birds and small rodents. You can just barely see the tiny (meat-tearing) hook at the tip of his bill.

Ring-necked Pheasant (female)

This Ring-necked Pheasant ran in front of my husband while he was driving home on Eagle Mountain Boulevard. When we drove by later she was still there hiding in the landscaped strip in the middle of the road, so we stopped and got a picture of her.