In my last post I wrote about seeing my lifer Purple Finch at the Chinsegut Conservation Center. I saw lots of other fun birds that morning, too. The feeders behind the nature center are certainly popular.

The Pine Warblers were everywhere! They were big fans of the suet feeder. They perched in the nearby tree to await their turns at the suet, giving me plenty of photo ops. I don’t get to photograph Pine Warblers very often, so watching them was a treat.

Chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee! The cheerful calls of Carolina Chickadees filled the air. These little birds would hop to the feeders, grab a sunflower seed, and then take it away to eat. Getting them to stay still for a photo in a non-feeder location turned out to be a challenge…

Potato chip! Potato chip! There must have been 15-20 American Goldfinches in the trees that morning. Their cheerful calls kept me grinning as I watched them devour sunflower seeds and nyger from the sock feeder. A couple of them were starting to turn a brighter yellow as they begin their molt to their springtime breeding plumages.

The Tufted Titmice were the other feeder clowns. Like the chickadees, they darted in, grabbed a sunflower seed, and darted away to eat it. If you need practice on fast-focusing technique, try following these little guys around!

A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker flew in overhead. I watched as he pecked at the tree trunk, pulling out sap and insects for breakfast. Yum!

I can’t go to Chinsegut without looking for Red-headed Woodpeckers. It’s where I saw my lifer Red-headed Woodpecker years back on a special trip with my dad. They’re still there, hanging out high in the treetops. I wonder if they look down and wonder what all the silly people are doing, watching the feeders for Purple Finches.

I reluctantly said goodbye to the birds, hoping I’d get a chance to return and see a male Purple Finch. The calls of Eastern Bluebirds reminded me that there are plenty of trails to explore and enjoy at Chinsegut. The Pine Warblers urged me to return soon!