Day 132: I tend to think of Red-Winged Blackbirds in wetlands, pecking the seeds out of cattail heads, foraging for bugs in the brush. Why then do they show up in my yard in droves in winter to hang out in the contorted filbert with Porch Parrots and the inevitable Starlings? I used to think my feeders were on their list of fast-food restaurants, and that they were stopping by for a quick snack en route to the finer establishments along the shores of Mineral Lake, but each year for the last decade or so, their numbers have been on the increase. They've stayed longer, with a few individuals present through the summer months. They don't seem to nest nearby (or at least I don't see early young, and the adults are very territorial when breeding), nor do I know if the blackbird population at Mineral has declined (I rather doubt it, because it is excellent habitat for this species). Later in the year, I may also see a few Brewer's Blackbirds in my yard. Their yellow eyes almost always send me running for the field guides, only to discover that I've identified them before. "Oh, them again," I say as I put Sibley back on the shelf.
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