My first photo of 2010! When the snow arrived in early December my backyard rabbit went from being an occasional visitor to being a daily regular. The rabbit eats sunflower seeds pushed out of the feeders by the doves, but the rabbit is particularly fond of the apple peels and other fruit compost that gets thrown under the feeder. Perhaps in this season of scarcity these extra fruity treats are what keeps the rabbit a regular visitor now. This was the first time I have photographed the rabbit this winter. To get the photo I had to stick my camera out the window because the sliding glass back door was frozen shut. The only problem with taking a photo out the window like this is the wavy distortion in the air caused by the escaping heat fools the autofocus on the camera and softens the photo. This photo was the best out of 10, the others being badly out of focus or too soft.
 
I haven't seen much out of the ordinary at the feeders lately. Yesterday one winter finch accompanied the regular flock of 20+ American Goldfinches. I didn't have binoculars handy, so I couldn't tell if it was a redpoll or siskin, and the bird only stayed for a minute before disappearing. House Finches were another surprise visitor recently. As usual, they stayed for no more than a few hours before leaving. Once they leave I usually don't see them again for a while. This year there seem to be very few juncos around. I only have 2-3 this year instead of 10+.