Nature Note - Dark-eyed Juncos

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." Genesis 1:20 (NIV)

Over the weekend a small flock of juncos joined the daily round of backyard visits from the hungry mourning doves, gray squirrels, black-capped chickadees, and blue jays that feed at our bird-feeding station.

Occasionally I catch a flash of quick movement outside a window. When I investigate more times than not several juncos have flown in and settled themselves in one of their newly established foraging sites: beneath the hemlocks in front of our house or beneath the wisteria vine or the winterberry bush.

Juncos are common ground feeders and eat various seeds. They also pick at the cracked corn we sprinkle on the snow beneath the bird-feeder.

Juncos are modest, industrious birds intent on staying well-fed in the cold and avoiding casualties with our cat that watches them from his warm perch on the kitchen table. I imagine he swishes his tail because he's daydreaming about the possibility of bird-hunting mischief. Thankfully, all birds quickly take flight the moment he appears outside.