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had returned trom their breeding territories in the far north. I wondered if they were as pleased to return to their winter home as I was to be again at my year-round one.
In the past, a prediction of a snowy winter has traditionally been marked by an invasion of species that usually remain in the north country. Was the presence of a Red-breasted Nuthatch at the feeder a sign of winter weather to come?
I don’t know the answer, but Lee and I were delighted with this 4 1/2-inch mite with a black line through his eye and a white line over it. Underparts washed with a rusty color distinguished this nuthatch from his larger cousin, the White-breasted Nuthatch. Active and agile, this bird has remained at the feeder, zipping in for seed and departing just as quickly.
Northern finches, Pine Siskins and Purple Finches, also appeared at the feeding tray. Siskins are an exciting rarity. They are the size of Goldfinches with very fine streaking and hints of yellow in the wings. They are noticeably smaller than female House Finches, which they resemble at first glance.
Purple finches, all females, also appeared. They have a similarity to female House Finches but their streaks are heavier and they have a distinct, dark jaw stripe. Purple finches also have a heavier bill than the House Finch.
Do birds sense a winter-to-come undetected by meteorologists? Are we to have a winter following a fiery autumn when the earth is transformed by snow and glistening with ice?
Write Virginia naturalist John Trott at P.O. Box 59, Washington, VA., 22747.
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