Shot between the snow flurries. The coal tit gives the game away that they were tempted close with seed and peanuts.
Charming and delightful. Just perfect, all.
We have 40 inches of snow now accumulated, with blizzard conditions. I broke my own rule of never feeding the wild things, and started leaving bird seed out in plastic bin lids on top of the drifts.
I swear I heard a woodpecker crying as he was trying to drill holes in a frozen tree trunk.
I have no idea what food I could put out for starving insectivores. They really are aren't they. What delicate, fragile, perfect little creatures they are. Beautiful pics!TYVM
for starving insectivores
I would guess mealworms. You can buy them here in pet stores, probably in the USA too. European robins are insectivores but they will eat mixed seeds as well as mealworms so you might try that as well. Titmice (such as chickadee?) like peanuts. Also nuts and seeds mixed with beef or pork fat rolled into tennis ball size lumps hung up on a length of string or in a string bag. Bluejays will take peanuts in the shells to open and eat later. Many birds also love niger seeds which are a type of thistle.What a great idea. I had read, to put out suet, but it doesn't sound like it would be good for them. Although I guess anything is better than starving.
Now if we can just get out shopping, heh. There were no snow plows out yesterday, because of poor visibility.I've heard that turkey fat is bad, but beef or pork suet is ok. Not sure about chicken fat, but it doesn't solidify easily anyway. Fat is chock full of calories which will keep high energy birds active, and therefore warm, in winter.
Beautiful pics!