Pine Siskin

I was standing at the door idly watching a gang of American goldfinches making short work of the birdseed, when I suddenly spied an anomaly on the birdbath. A pine siskin! Pine siskins are the same size as the goldfinches, and often flock together with them, but they are a bird that can't be counted on to appear anywhere in particular in the winter. They breed up north and winter all over the USA, but in a very scattered manner that depends on food supplies, apparently. We had a TON of them here about 4 or 5 winters ago, and I haven't seen once since. Until today! I hope some of the other birds we rarely see will also show up this winter...

The extra is the mockingbird who is the Mayor of Chapel Spring Lane. He was looking particularly perky today. I probably would have blipped him for my main blip if the pine siskin hadn't shown up.

Whoops! This is my 1500th blip!! Totally forgot. Well, I guess the pine siskin came to celebrate with me?