Mountain birds persist on the plains

There continue to be reports of an unusual number mountain species being seen along the front range and out to the far east reaches of the Colorado plains. And I continue hearing and seeing very good numbers of Mountain Chickadees both along the Canon City Riverwalk and coming to my feeder at home.

I took these pics of one of the Mountain Chickadees that has been camped in, or near, my yard and frequenting my feeders. I have a feeder that holds peanut pieces, a big favorite of Mountain Chickadees. Surprisingly, this years crop of Mountain Chickadees have favored safflower seeds. The middle pic shows this bird with a safflower seed in it's bill as it prepares to fly to a location where it will eat it.

In prior years the Mountain Chickadees that have come to my feeders first choice has been the peanut pieces, then black-oil sunflower seeds. I had not noticed them taking safflower seeds very much. But this year both pairs I have had have spent most of their time taking safflower seeds to a branch, like in the bottom pic, it can hold the seed between it's feet and break off bite-sized pieces to eat. SeEtta