Alright, so I couldn't resist :)

I went out to refill the feeding station after letting it run dry while out of town over the holidays. As I was putting scoops of choice blend on the trays and filling up the niger tube, I actually heard the loud "zzzrrrrrrrreeeep!" of PINE SISINS coming from the conifers in a neighbor's backyard!

I literally ran back inside to see what would happen. Within just 10 minutes, a little storm of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES descended on the thistle tube. Not long after, 5-6 PINE SISKINS joined them. Finally!!! One particularly pugnacious individual with lots of yellow on its wings chose a tray instead. He bravely warded off numerous hungry birds from "his" treasure by raising his wings to flash that pretty yellow, lowering his head, and opening his bill in a threatening gesture. Awesome.

Yeah! We only got one Red-breasted Nuthatch during all of last year's crazy irruption. Hope these are the first of MANY Pine Siskins for 2009!

Ken Blankenship Marietta, GA (Cobb County) http://www.wingsoverga.com

BTW - If you live in north Cobb and want to see lots of Pine Siskins and other birds this winter, go see Joe Ranney and the nice folks over at Wildbirds Unlimited at E. Piedmont Rd and GA Hwy 120 (Upper Roswell Rd). He'll set you up with everything you need, great place! http://marietta.wbu.com/content/show/7213

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