I'm glad you asked this, and that Benjamin took the time to answer. We have small flocks of these little ones visit our home here in SC, and I'd never seen them before and was clueless as to their id. Now I can follow up with junco as my starting point. :)
That is a pretty little Junco. We called them snow birds when we were small here in Ohio. Seemed they just showed up in the winter just as the snows came. I love photographing birds nut I have the worst time trying to get the eyes to show up on the dark headed birds. The Juncos give me fits to try to photograph when they are in the snow trying to get the light right to show their eyes. Wonderful photos! Have fun with your counting.
I agree it's a dark-eyed junco, but feel compelled to add that they look a bit different in Michigan--the gray is more solid, less stripey. Um, because I knew you wanted to know this.
I also thought "junco." Saw a few for the first time in our yard this winter, and had a tough time id'ing them because they weren't on our regional common bird lists.
I've taken to tossing seeds in the lawn where I don't mind them germinating if they last through the winter. The juncos swarm those areas a few times a day. I'd never really noticed them before this year.
This is the first year I've seen so many dark-eyed juncos in my yard, Phillip. And as far as bluejays go, I've seen 2 the entire season. Most unusual. My most numerous is the bluebird and I get about 17 of those. I think they live right around here because they know they have lots of good eats;-)
Comments
Good for you for doing the count!
Cameron