This morning there was an unexpected visitor to our backyard – a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER! I suppose this is somewhat unusual for January, although according to Bob Domagalski’s records it hasn't been absent from the annual CBC since 1972. Still, this is the first January warbler in Wisconsin I’ve ever encountered. The warbler seemed quite at home, taking water from the tips of branches. Occasionally a Red-breasted Nuthatch would chase it, but eventually go back to taking peanut halves from the feeder and jamming them into bark.
Other backyard birds today:
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Mourning Dove
American Crow
Blue Jay
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Dark-eyed Junco
European Starling
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
House Finch
House Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler image © 2006 Mike McDowell