We awoke to more new snow and a stiff Northwest wind, and a forecast for even colder temperatures.  It stays dark until about 7:00 AM but sure enough, at 7:05 the first Black-capped Chickadee visited with window feeder.  Right after that, a Common Redpoll came to the thistle seed feeder and then the parade of hungry birds started.

Our first bird of 2013 was a Black-capped Chickadee. photo by Mac Mansfield.

Shortly afterwards, I took our Vizsla out on a cold birding snowshoe outing but most of the birds still around were back at the house chowing down.  We then went out and birded for an hour at North Branch Nature Center and got a lot of exercise but few birds.

I had figured that there were about 15 species here in the County this month.  When I returned home, the feeders were alive with redpolls and after studying them for some time, I spotted a Hoary Redpoll right next to a Common Redpoll.  By noontime, I had logged the following birds:

American Crow
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Common Redpoll
Hoary Redpoll
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Dark-eyed Junco

It was a good first day. Tomorrow’s temperature is supposed to be even colder. Is is OK if I crank up the wood fire and hope for a Downy Woodpecker and a Brown Creeper at the feeders?