The days continue cold and windy, not an easy time out there for the birds. Today I did some field sketching. There was a lot of activity at the feeders - all three of our regular species of woodpecker came in for breakfast, the Red-bellied, the Downy and the Hairy.  I sketched the female Red-bellied Woodpecker (center) when she flew in to the seed tray. The male Downy Woodpecker is at the lower left, and the female Hairy Woodpecker at the lower right. There's a real size difference between these two species, which you can see relative to the suet cake they both perched on. Assorted other species in the margins...

(center) Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus
(lower left) Downy Woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens
(lower right) Hairy Woodpecker, Dryobates villosus

Birds were scarce at lunchtime on the UConn campus today, and though we found six species, and Jorge photographed a few, the Rock Pigeons seemed to sum up the day better than the others. They appear huddled together for warmth against the 24F air temperature which prevailed for most of the day. Like yesterday's Cooper's Hawk, the pigeons hang out near the horse barns - no doubt enjoying grain left uneaten by the horses.

Rock Pigeon, Columba livia, Mansfield Connecticut

It's another New Year's Day, but ten years have passed since I last posted on our AvesInArt blog. Do people still read blogs? I think birders do, I know I do anyway. Off we go then. Last week I randomly remembered that Jorge and I had done our January challenge ten years ago. January 1st thru 31st, 2015. Why not revive the blog by doing another January challenge? 

Jorge's goal is to photograph a different species every day for thirty-one days. Sue's goal is to paint or sketch thirty-one birds seen in 2024. We had two fantastic trips last year - an April week in southeastern Arizona and two September weeks looping around Europe. It will be hard to choose my favorites.

Mexican Jay, Aphelocoma wollweberi, observed April 5th, 2024
Cave Creek Canyon, Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona

Jorge went out with his camera after work and focused on a nearby birding hotspot - Horsebarn Hill, on the UConn campus. The afternoon was fairly mild for January and many birds were about, so perhaps the challenge was to choose which to prepare for the post!

Red-shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus
Horsebarn Hill, Storrs, Connecticut, January 1, 2025