[TN-Bird] New yard bird (Kingston)

James Brooks nailed it -- these are definitely 3 cat nights! The feeders
aren't as busy today (yet) as they were yesterday, and numbers and diversity
are quite a bit lower than this time last year. We still have 1.5-2" of snow
for the most part, 3.5" still left on northern exposures, and this morning's
temperature, 27 degrees, is nearly 20 degrees higher than yesterday's (our
low was 7). My new yard bird is -- FINALLY -- a white-crowned sparrow, who
seems to have come in with a chipping sparrow and some juncos and has not
chosen to join the white-throats further down the driveway. I finally also
have more than a single pair of cardinals -- 3 pairs are feeding this
morning. Also crows, blue jays, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina
chickadees, titmousies, goldfinches, mourning doves, a male red-bellied wp,
Carolina wren, and song sparrows. Nearby are pileated wps, hairy wps, and a
persistent, immature sharp-shin. Since this cold snap I haven't seen any
house or purple finches. My signif in downtown Kingston has pretty much the
same suite of species that I do, except many more cardinals, some house
finches (no sign of conjunctivitis this year in breeding season or winter),
and a male towhee. I haven't seen his thrasher yet. His Carolina wren found
the tear in my Tracker's plastic back window 2 nights ago and liberally but
tastefully decorated the inside of my car with poo.

A junco and a song sparrow, picking at spilled sunflower seeds, came right
up to my front door, less than 1 foot thru the glass to my feet. This is
providing very intriguing viewing for my newest kitty who, having appeared
cold and starving out of the woods, prefers to be well-fed and warm so is
quite satisfied to do her birdwatching from inside the house, at least for
now, thank you (she also seems to enjoy helping me compose emails to
TN-bird, particularly if I will allow her to sit on the keyboard). Even the
Big Boys are staying inside these days, except to dash outside and play
cat-in-the-manger for a few minutes.

How I hate to see the snow melt but the birds could use a warm-up, I
suspect. On 1/18, James Brooks wondered if more bird species than
rubythroats and C wrens enter torpor because few birds venture out until the
day has warmed up a bit. I wonder if, instead, they are keen judges of the
temperature at which it becomes worth the energy expenditure required to
forage for food. I would be very interested to hear from our more hardcore
ornithologists on this subject.

Keep warm and happy birding all,

Liz Singley
Kingston TN

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