A winter's bushful of birds

November brings first hints of winter, not just in the weather and the shortening days, but in the birds. Juncos come, and others - like redwings and orioles - are gone. Here are some from the first ten days in November. First, some winter robins in bare branches:

Another year-round resident, a mockingbird:



A red-bellied woodpecker:





And a much smaller downy woodpecker (note the small bill, one sure way to know it's not a hairy woodpecker):




One more permanent resident, this is a juvenile starling - still mostly gray this late into November:



And here's a winter visitor, a junco no, no it's not. It's a goldfinch, dressed in winter grey:

And a reminder of summer, this oriole's nest swings in the autumn breezes, sturdy enough to last until a real winter storm comes through: