On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
It’s Albatrossity Monday – in Albatrossity’s own back yard! And the start of a lovely series from TKH.
We have a couple more weeks of OTR posts in the queue, so this would be a great time for you all to submit a post!
Albatrossity
More winter birds this week, from the recent post-blizzard period, when it was prudent to stay home and watch the feeders!

Our feed and watering stations attract a lot of woodpeckers, since there are about 40 acres of woods (not common in this prairie state) right behind the house. But we only get Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus varius) in the winter; they are well north of here in the summer. This adult female visited the birdbath multiple times per day. Click here for larger image.

A bit more shy, but photogenic nonetheless, this first year sapsucker was waiting its turn on the suet feeder. Click here for larger image.

The water also attracted flocks of American Robins (Turdus migratorius), especially on the days when the air temperatures never got above freezing. These are handsome birds in their own way, and their bickering and squabbling over seating rights at the bird bath are fun to watch. Click here for larger image.

Even on freezing days, some birds can’t resist taking a splashy bath. This Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) seemed to really enjoy getting wet; it returned at least twice to splash around again. In former times this hardy species was fairly common here in winter; these days, since winter weather is moving north, we have a lot fewer, and a lot more Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Click here for larger image.

It was good to see a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) at the bird bath again. After the vicious polar vortex event of February 2021, I honestly thought it would be a long time before these beauties graced the winter scene here again. A good bird, no matter when or where you find it. Click here for larger image.

Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) were an abundant and entertaining presence on the deck during the time when the ground was covered with a foot or so of snow. This is an adult female of the slate-colored subspecies, the most common of our wintering juncos. Click here for larger image.

Most of the year we have numerous House Finches and American Goldfinches in the yard, but a Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) is a big deal bird for us. They are not particularly rare here, but for some reason our feeder setup or location is not their favorite spot. This female was one of three or so who hit the deck when snow covered their other feeding spots. Click here for larger image.

Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) typically eat insects, but in cold weather they are happy to find seed or suet in our yard. And they are cheerful winter presences; later in January they started to vocalize and get ready for the spring and family-rearing season. Click here for larger image.

And of course, the winter weather enhanced our deck population of Fox Squirrels (Sciurus niger). It is mating season for these guys here, and so there is lots of chasing and acrobatic leaping in the trees. But they always seem to find time to hoover up the seeds as well. Click here for larger image.

We have a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatus) who live year-round in the woods behind the house, and they are starting to get very vocal as well. This one was not in the yard, but was on a hunting perch in a neighborhood near us. Click here for larger image.
sab
Jon Stewart the comedian tv host is afraid of fox squirrels. They can be aggressive, and apparently in Columbus OH they are.
I have tripped over fox squirrels when they were rummaging for acorns and I was walking on a sidewalk not paying attention. Grey squirrels have more common sense.
sab
Beautiful birbs. I want to say nice birbs, but birbs aren’t nice. They live rough lives.
Thanks to all the jackal input that songbirds aren’t currently flubirds, we are putting up the bird feeder at our new house. This one will be squirrel proof (sorry little rodent buddies.)
Gloria DryGarden
@sab: if your squirrel proofing works well, inquiring minds will want to learn your set up.
rascally creatures.
Incredible close ups of these birds. My gosh. Fascinating up close.
J.
Love the photos, especially the one of the Carolina Wren, and the descriptions.
SteveinPHX
Thank you for the photos.
sab
@Gloria DryGarden: Husband thinks the squirrels are his friends, so squirrel proofing is lacking
Hoping up on a tall pole will do it.
Betty
The hermit thrush is indeed a beauty. I love wrens, so perky.
stinger
Handsome in their own way??? I love robins, even if Mr. Linnaeus did think it would be a hoot to call them turds.
SiubhanDuinne
@sab:
Bwahahahahaha you are so droll!
WaterGirl
Boy, that bird in the second-to-last photo doesn’t look anything like the others1
KatKapCC
Forgive me for laughing like a tween boy at this.
Tehanu
I always enjoy your photos.