Brown Thrasher and White-throated Sparrows
The last few days of November have passed in a blur, the rush of the holiday season already upon us, it seems, along with several days of cold, heavy rain. Then the weather turned sunny, pleasant and cool, but still without much time to spend outside watching birds.
After weeks of looking very quiet and empty at times, the morning of Thanksgiving Day, our front yard suddenly seemed to be full of birds. Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, a Northern Cardinal, one Brown-headed Nuthatch, and a Downy Woodpecker came and went from the feeder. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet chattered in one of the Savannah hollies. Mourning Doves flew up in a flurry of whistling wings from the ground. Carolina Wrens sang, burbled and fussed. Yellow-rumped Warblers flitted from branch to branch through the pecans and oaks. Five White-throated Sparrows and one handsome Brown Thrasher – the most fun to watch – foraged in the mulch around ferns, yews and Lenten roses, kicking up the brown leaves.