Hot Backyard Action

We woke up to a grey morning in Holyoke. Outside the picture window, the feeders were alive with avian activity. A giant piliated woodpecker knawed on the suet, so long and aggressive with a big beak chomping down the beef fat that hangs next to the seeds. Then a bit later came a catbird, known for its feline sounding song and reddish and then yellow finches.

Then a bird we have never seen before...with a cardinal's short fat beak, a bright red breast and black and white wings. It was a rose-breasted grosbeak, according to our bird books. While we enjoyed watching this big male chomp down on seed, suddenly, a commotion over by the fence. A red fox ran by with a squirrel clutched in his mouth, a fine breakfast to be enjoyed in her den.