Chipping sparrow and song sparrow are back

 Song sparrow(s) returned a few weeks ago; noticed chipping sparrow(s) yesterday.  And course the house sparrows.  Fun!

Sparrows galore; millet goes fast!

So fun.  Seeing lots of house sparrows, chipping sparrows (feeding a young'un), and song sparrows.  The occasional goldfinches (they're not as fond as the platform feeder, so not getting tons like I did last year, but too bad so sad).  The millet is going like gangbusters.

So many birds after the storms! Including chipping sparrow!

Several periods of intense rain today, in between which the birds were excited to visit.  At one point, there was a cardinal, a house sparrow, a song sparrow, and two goldfinches!  And at another time there was a chipping sparrow sharing time with a goldfinch.  A song sparrow was quite territorial later, driving away the gold finches.

Great to have today's rain, really needed it.

Still many goldfinches; occasional song sparrows; no chipping sparrows anymore

^^^

Aha: Chipping sparrow in non-breeding plumage

Finally got a photo of the mystery sparrow.  A facebook group identifies him/her as a chipping sparrow in non-breeding plumage.  This photo convinces me:  https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/chipping-sparrow?fbclid=IwAR3T_poKwLwUs6hUmW3BsgwiiePYWkIe6MrTP26Jb8BFwUOwGvxpDkaxMP0#photo6

Zero sparrows/chickadees; only occasional goldfinches

So bizarre, went from tons of sparrows eating 2 Tbsp of millet a day, to zero.  Not hearing them singing, not seeing them in the yard, nothing at all.  Neither the chickadees.  Did they start to migrate?  Something else?  Hmmm.

I do still occasionally see goldfinches, both at the feeder and at the one remaining sunflower plant.

Also, this year I never saw the white throated or white crowned sparrows of last year.

Goldfinches are back today, but still no sparrows

No idea why the goldfinches came back today, as it's still very hot and humid.

Tray suspended under sunflower seed feeder working on goldfinches' sloppy eating

The goldfinches are so darn messy.  Even though the sunflower seeds are shelled, they seem to be interested in only one bite from each and they toss their rejected portions onto the ground.  So, I now have a clear plastic pot tray thing (nice and big, a few dollars at Ritchie's) hanging under the sunflower seed feeder.  So far so good, it really seems to be catching pretty much everything, and the sparrows come along and happily eat the stuff that falls onto the tray.

Sightings of the rat(s) are much fewer now that the sunflower heads from the mammoths are gone.  The presence of the ground cherries is I'm hoping the only thing keeping them here, plus the shelter they've taken under the kitchen step and in the compost bin.

So many birds! My birdfeeder dream come true

Oh wow this is so much fun!  So many birds coming to the feeder these days.  They obviously aren't bothered by its new spot.

Seeing these -- in various combinations too which is even more fun:

- song sparrows (eating more sunflowers now, bulking up for winter?)

- chipping sparrows with young (eating mostly millet)

- goldfinches (sunflowers of course)

- chickadees (noticed them starting today -- hadn't seen them since several months, maybe they didn't like it against the wall) (sunflower seeds)

- house sparrows (occasionally, and only one at a time)

Many goldfinches visiting; also song sparrows and chipping sparrows, with the occasional house sparrow

The goldfinches are starting to really get into the ripening sunflower heads, which is great especially since I'm not harvesting any myself.

Baby chipping sparrow! (soooo cute)

I decided I really like chipping sparrows.  They're just so darn small and adorable.  Baby was pretty cute too.

Chipping sparrows!

Saw a chipping sparrow eating from the feeders several times today.  And a couple at the same time, too.  I've heard chipping sparrows in the neighbourhood many times, but it's the first time I noticed them in my yard

I think mostly ate millet, but I think also sampled from the sunflowers and mixed seeds.