Tis the season of food drives and toy drives and considering those less fortunate than ourselves. It is the season of counting your blessing and sharing your riches. Time to watch out for those who need our care, and that extends to those minute song birds that stay through the winter months.

There are whole flocks who come (although they disappear in a skittish frenzy whenever we step out with camera in hand) to the assortment of feeders we fill during the winter months. We use a mixture of nuts, seeds, and berries in a few feeders, and black oil sunflower seeds in another, all with the hope of satisfying any passing chickadee, finch, nuthatch, junco, blue jay, titmouse, mourning dove, or cardinal. Woodpeckers come for the suet we hang too.

These winged buddies bring us more joy than the price to keep these feeders filled. In the gray the birds bring a dash of color, and in the quiet they bring plenty of chatter. On weekend mornings we take our mugs to the window sill and watch as they flit from branch to feeder and back again. Flocks move through our woods every morning and just before dusk, singing a warm hello.

Small red squirrels hang sideways and upside down and every which way, regardless of the gymnastics involved, just to nab a seed. Caught this little guy stealing away with one in his mouth. We don’t discourage the squirrels, for they are tenacious survivors, and don’t take a no easily.

In light of this being the giving season, we opt to share with all who pass by our home. I suppose this is a worthy motto during December while the world needs a reminder to give wholly.

** Photo credit goes straight to a true bird lover, my Mj,