Thanksgiving in the tree of birds

There are two more feeders for Emily and Laura to fill this year, and so many birds the tree seems alive with movement.

Today has been grey from start to end. I hoped to get pictures of my flying pigs enjoying the additions, and finally went out at three, for the last grey light. 

One of the new feeders, and probably a downy woodpecker. He had been boosted from the other new feeder.

The other new feeder, commandeered by an American crow. I bought it Wednesday morning, and in a fit of largess the girls picked out the fruit and nut block. It seemed the right thing to do, although it also attracts black birds. This is the first week we've put out "the good stuff," the black bird magnets. They have to eat too, just like the cardinals, I remind myself. Somehow the crow is more acceptable than starlings and cowbirds. A tufted titmouse above the crow's head is waiting.....

American gold finch. Just passing through; all those little white safflower seeds are too troublesome to extract from this feeder,

when it can reach right into this feeder.

"You talking about me?"

Not a great day for pictures; I gave it up rather sooner than later. But, not quite the end.

A final shot of my flying pigs, working on niger seed, keeping that village in Ethiopia funded for another year.