Red-Breasted Nuthatch and Pine Siskin

Over the last several days, I kept seeing what appeared to be a very small nuthatches coming to the suet feeder.  As quickly as I would try to get a good look, they would fly away.  They were quite a bit smaller than the White-Breasted Nuthatches that are a common sight and displayed the characteristics of grabbing a seed or bit of suet and quickly flying away like Brown-Headed Nuthatches.

I finally realized what I was seeing was Red-Breasted Nuthatches.  It has been many years since I have had one in the yard.  After a little research, I see there is an irruption of these birds this year.  Another sign that it is probably going to be a bad winter further north.

Early this morning I also encounted a large group of Pine Siskins.  Same thing on an irruption with reports of sightings everywhere.