Cropped, sharpened, combined two images together.

While doing the fall yard chores of composting the raised garden beds, mowing the lawn one last time, cutting the Giant Reed down and running it through the chipper shredder, I took a short break to photograph whatever species of birds were at my feeders. Earlier I had refilled the suet bag and seed feeder for my feathered visitors.

This time instead of sitting at a window to take pictures, I tossed my Chilkat Blanket over me to created a portable blind and sat on the back porch steps. It worked!!

A handful of House Finches arrived first, then a Scrub Jay and a pair of Northern Flickers landed on my rain gutters above my head. One single male Magpie flitted from tree to tree but remained aloof and skittish. The Downy Woodpecker had visited earlier and his second visit was very brief only scaling the tree and flying off in less than a minute. After 15 minutes or so some English Sparrows arrived and crashed the party. Something spooked them all away and my break time was over.

The male House Finch with the red color seemed curious about the "one eyed blob" on the porch steps making clicking sounds. I kept my movements to a minimum and they continued to feed and flit around not feeling threatened by my presence.