Winter Lineup: Slate Colored Junco

Today's spotlight falls on the quintessential winter bird, for us.  The junco, a.k.a. "Snowbird" is not only a winter-only species in our part of the piedmont, but seems also to be most visible on the very wintriest of days---this is one species for which cold is not a problem at all!  Juncos are not feeder birds, unless that feeder is at ground level, but they are attracted to the cast-offs from above and to my eye seem fond of small seeds such as white millet (assuming the squirrels don't get there first!).  Hence we seem them quite often at all three feeder stations.  This year I spotted my first junco rather early--back in November--giving me hopes of a long time to enjoy the antics of this interesting species.