It’s been a quiet winter on Hoot Owl RD, sounds like a Prairie Home Companion lead in. We have goldfinches, siskens and chickadees, one or two Mountain rest Black Capped. I’m going through a fraction of the sunflower seed I’ve fed in previous years. The Goldfinch numbers are starting to increase, but not massive. We had a lone Rosy Finch for a day or two, but it’s moved on. Other usual visitors have not shown up. I abandoned one feeder in deep snow as other two can keep up with customers. If I had to I could put on my big boy boots and snowshoes to get to it, but too lazy.

One new and interesting behavior I’m seeing for the first time this year is with our resident Magpie flock. In the past, they worked the sunflower and millet feeders some and were increasingly working the ground under the feeders. This year in addition to working at and under feeders, they’ve added a new food source, dog poop. I don’t know if it’s the semi-digested kibble or the remains of sunflowers the dogs eat from under feeders, but poops in yard, field and driveway get worked on. The Magpies look to be thriving on their expanded diet or maybe they are just fluffed in cold.

Any one else see this? Is it documented?

By the way we also have at times a kettle of 15 – 20 Ravens in the area and an immature Golden working the hills.

At least there may be less for me to clean up in Spring.

Bill Moore
Hoot Owl RD
Inkom