• Well the Big Year starts Boxing day 2012 and goes until Christmas day 2013. Today,  December 22nd, Machaela and I saw a Downy Woodpecker. Too cool.  It doesn't count but nice to know they are around.
• A Downy is the size of a sparrow, the Hairy is the size of a Blue Jay both are identical in color.  These birds like tallow (beef fat) you can get it from a butcher as waste and then put it out in a net used to keep onions.  You can also buy tallow based seed bells, that is what Machaela has and it works. Good job Machaela.
• The Hairy has a very rapid pecking compared to the Downy and has a larger beak in perspective to size, both like to seek out bugs but this time of the year bugs are sleeping (dormant).  They are loners and fairly curious.