Chirps and Cheeps

Finally!  Not one, but 5 male purple finches showed up at our feeders today!  Until today, I've only had one, lone female sporadically coming by so this was very exciting to finally see a male - a life list for me in a way...

The finches were quite noisy and stayed all day long, vacillating between the back feeders and side feeders.  They couldn't be bothered with the nyjer thistle; they only wanted the black oil sunflower seeds.

The day began with the drumming sound of  a Pileated, a rare sighting of a Northern Flicker, and a rush and flurry of a Red-tailed Hawk swooping down on a squirrel eating some spilled birdseed. He or she was unsuccessful, but it was quite a speedy and vicious pursuit! I also saw my first of the year Chipping Sparrow.

Quite the exciting day in Orchard Park!