Backyard birds *UPDATED*

One of the fun gifts I received for Christmas was a platform bird feeder and suet holder.  I've been wanting some kind of bird feeder for almost a year but have just been too cheap to buy it myself.  Emily helped me hang it up this week.  We put in two different kinds of seeds and went inside to wait for the birds to come.  We were not disappointed!  Within 24 hours I counted at least 10 different species.  Using a birding book I got for a gift a couple years ago along with a little help from Google, I have positively identified the following: Black-Capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal (several pairs), Mourning Dove, White-Breasted Nuthatch, House Finch and Sparrow (not exactly sure which specific kind though).  There are also at least two other kinds that I'm having a hard time figuring out.  I've searched several web site databases, but I am still at a loss.  They have to be relatively common, though, because there are lots of them in our backyard.  One of the mystery birds is at the bottom of the picture below.



The busiest times seem to be right around breakfast and lunch, which is when we are sitting at the table and have the best views.  There is also at least one fat squirrel that has happily plopped himself in the middle of the platform and eaten a majority of the food. :op  In the picture above he is performing acrobatic tricks to get at the suet.  The kids enjoy watching the antics of both the birds and the squirrels.  We look forward to adding to our species list in the months to come!

*Update* Austin's brother, Tyler, is a high school science teacher and the family naturalist.  He was over for lunch on Sunday and helped identify the mystery birds as Black-eyed Juncos--more specifically Slate-colored Juncos.  I had been thrown for a loop because most of the birds in our yard look darker (some almost black) than the lighter gray birds pictured in the books and online.  However, I have since learned that there are vast regional differences in coloration.  Regardless, they are fun to watch as they hop around on the ground in flocks. :o)