Oh, I forgot to add that we also have either a Downy or Hairy woodpecker feeding on the suet. he won't stay on my viewing side so that I can get a pic to study and figure out what he is.

I love watching the birds from our kitchen windows.

Such a shame about the cat.

I'm wishing you well with the feeders back over the shed, Moonie. I went to my township about the neighborhood cats and so far they are being kept inside. Our ordinance says dogs AND CATS cannot leave their yards. You should check into it.

Oh, I am sorry about the cardinal. One of the reasons our kitties are indoors.

Hubby and I watch the feeders and bird baths every morning while having coffee on the back porch. It is such fun.

Hairy woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers and also a family of golden-crowned are frequent visitors at the suet station. We also get inca doves, wrens, large doves, blackbirds, starlings, lots of sparrows, the occasional hawk, mockingbirds, and the hummingbirds haven't left yet.

During migration season we also see gold finches and red house finches, cedar waxwings and painted buntings.

Barn swallow have built several nests on the house and they return every March through September.

Never thought we'd get into bird watching, but it is really fun and addictive once you get started.

Pat - I haven't said anything to my neighbor about his cat getting the bird and should have first explained the situation with the cats. My neighborhood was being over run by stray cats. We believed that they originated from a nearby fishery. We, and many of our neighbors took it upon ourselves to get the strays and have them spayed/neutered, and to feed them. We kind of divvied them up. They get their rabies and if they are sick go to the vet. It's the most we could do for them. As the years have passed, they are dying off and we have kept the population down. I still have 3 of my original 4 living, and they are now 13 or 14. My, how time flies! The cat that killed the cardinal has to be that old, too. So, I don't blame the cat or the neighbor. It was me that should have taken more care.

petra - the cedar waxwings were my fav winter birds last year! There's a nasty ole scraggly privet bush on the other side of the shed that I would love to take out or at least trim up but the waxwings looooved it! So, of course, it stays! :)

You mentioned red house finches.... maybe what I'm thinking is purple finches is in fact red house finches. Can you tell the dif with a photo? Some of the birds in the above photo is what i've been calling purple finches. I'll try to get better pics. I thought the pic is fuzzy because my hand was shaking but seems it's my window needing to be cleaned! lol

Moonie, I just saw your other post and the pic looks like what I called Red House Finch. I think they come in all different colors, but the only ones we've seen are the red ones.

The cedar waxwings are fantastic looking, aren't they? Sort of like little Dinosaurs. So nice of you to leave that bush in for them. We are leaving a too-large holly for the bees, they love the flowers in spring and they need all the help they can get.

Moonie, I like your bird feeding setup. Especially because it gives you a good view of the birds. But don't you have squirrels butting in?? They are my biggest problem with feeding the birds.

We have several feeders too and share your love of watching the birds Moonie. We typically see cardinals, finches, chickadees, woodpeckers and blue jays. Cardinals are my favorite, they're so pretty, I'm sorry you lost one.

We used to have lots and lots of doves in our backyard. The crows arrived and killed them off. This afternoon, I spotted 3 doves under our liquid amber trees. They love the seeds from the pods on the trees. We have very few birds now that the crows have taken over, but so far several hummingbirds have hidden their nests safely so the crows can't get to them.

petra - yes, they do look like little dinos! We really enjoyed them last winter but this spring the mulberries drew them in several times a day for weeks and weeks. What a noisy bunch they were, but we loved them! Was sorry to see them clean the trees and leave.

murraysmom - I haven't had squirrel problems in years because 3 cats (was 4) live in my backyard. Once in a while, one of the braver ones will high-tail it across the back of the privacy fence, on his daily outing. Mostly for fear of the dogs, not the cats. But, I do believe that for years the baby squirrels were raised to fear our backyard. :)

lukki - I'm not sure which bird is my fav. The little chickadees are so cute, though! The bird I like least would be the pileated woodpecker. I was so excited when he first started coming around but then he started damaging my fence. I was successful in running him off. At least he did alert us to a carpenter bees problem.

sheila - wow, I'm glad not to have crows! Do you have hummers year round? Mine have migrated.

Moonie, so that's the secret! We have a couple of outdoor cats that live in the neighborhood, but none come to my yard. While my dogs like to chase them occasionally, neither will ever catch one. I guess I will just have to put up with them. We have a chipmunk overpopulation issue too. I guess they all just know a good thing when they see it. :)

It's hard to tell, nicole. tomorrow im going to get more photos and study them. not that it matters all that much but i would.like to know for sure.

The ones at our bird feeder look just like Nicole's photo, so now I know they are definitely house finches. Thanks for posting the photo, Nicole. :)

The ones we have are definitely purple finches. We, too, had eagles around this past weekend with an immature one along. The ospreys leave and the eagles arrive - it's an interesting cycle.

The location of your feeders may have solved a deer problem. By placing the feeders over the shed, it makes it difficult for deer to reach the feeders. On the other hand, the roof top gives cats a launching surface that is too near the feeders. Also, climbing animals such as opossums, raccoons, and squirrels may find a way to the top of the shed to feast.

About the hairy and downy woodpeckers: These two are easy to tell apart because one is much larger than the other. Consult your bird book. I keep forgetting which one is the larger.

Nicole posted a very nice photo of a male house finch. The females do not have as much red-pink color and their under-bodies have more pronounced dark brown striping. During the past 10 years, house finches have been spreading their range westward. Ten years ago, they were uncommon on the west side of Lake Michigan, but today, they have become common in the Milwaukee area. A few of house finches at my feeder are aggressive toward other birds. However, they do give way to a larger bird such as a Blue Jay or Cardinal.

Good luck for your bird viewing. It should get interesting as winter approaches.

I took gem's advice and googled the woodpeckers. Mine are definitely Downy woodpeckers. The Hairy are larger and have a much larger beak.

No worries about cats on the roof top. They can't get up there, thank goodness!