Gray days, colorful birds

Feeding and watching the birds can be a pleasant winter pastime. In my neck of the woods it's impossible to ignore the streak of bright blue flying from one tree branch to another. It's also impossible to ignore the sight of a giant woodpecker.

I don't usually see bluebirds in the dead of winter, but six to eight eastern bluebirds have been flitting around my backyard since mid-January. Other birds have also been hard to miss with black-capped chickadees, tufted titmouse, red headed woodpeckers, speckled woodpeckers and two of the elusive pileated woodpeckers all landing in the trees one day l...