Black-capped Chickadee

We're having a quiet Boxing Day - Hubs doing some work in the office and me doing some planting in my new garden (needed to lay the seeds for the plants that need cold stratification) and some quick photo sorties.  We took time after lunch for  a little walk - light drizzle so only went a mile.  We're wimps.  

I decided to go with a chickadee today since I' haven't blipped one in quite a while.  Truthfully, I find them hard to photograph, mostly because of the sharp contrast on their faces.  Another year-round bird in our yard, the black-capped chickadee is found throughout most of the northern US, Canada and southern Alaska.  They are nearly indistinguishable from their southerly cousins, the Carolina Chickadee, which is found throughout the southern US.  They are also closely related to Europe's Coal Tit.  We always have chickadees use one of our nest boxes in the spring for their sole brood of the nesting season; the rest of the year, they visit our feeders and forage for seeds and insects around our property.  

In the winters, chickadees gather in "foraging flocks" which usually consist of chickadees, titmice, downy woodpeckers and nuthatches.  By feeding in loosely formed groups, there are more sets of eyes to watch for predators as well as more chances to discover new food sources.  

Thanks for the lovely comments yesterday.  Many of you know that I hate having my picture taken, and almost never post photos of myself.  So, posting two in one day...well, you probably won't see that again anytime soon!  

Looks like I've got a blip-milestone coming up in a few days.  Time sure does fly, doesn't it?

Happy Boxing Day, people.
xo
Debbi