While out in the backyard with the pygmy nuthatches, I noticed all of a sudden that none of them were moving, they had frozen in place... This is a defensive mechanism which I have seen with cedar waxwings - if they perceive any danger, they just freeze where they are sitting - so maybe a hawk alarm had gone up, and the nuthatches froze - the hawks have been frequenting the back yard area... There were three of them, two on the branches and one at the feeder, it was so strange, it was as if time had stopped...it was for over a minute, and maybe as much as two minutes... Well, I thought, at least it is a chance to get some close shots, since one thing about bird photography, is that your subject is usually jumping around... |

(To the left and below) Young finches approach adult (on far right in both photos) for a feeding. They were making a racket on the utility line above the nest box.