Amherst notes - Jan 5th.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - first-winter male, Amherst, Hampshire County, January 4th, 2009. Images taken through glass door using Minox 8 x 32 binoculars and Canon Powershot A540.

American Tree Sparrow - Amherst, Hampshire County, January 4th, 2009.

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker visited our feeders daily from the 2nd - 4th, but didn't show up today, or perhaps we missed him. Pine Siskins continue to feature on our feeders and we had a small flock of nine 'ground feeding' on the deck yesterday. Excellent numbers (c.100) continue in the general North Whitney/High Street area of Amherst. This afternoon, Matan and I surprised a Ruffed Grouse at Orchard Hill on the Umass campus and watched her speed away across the snow.