The first snow and a bird show

One morning last week we opened the curtains to witness the first snowfall of the season.   Tho pretty to look at it was met with less enthusiasm than other winter displays. (must be my age)    While eating breakfast in front of the patio doors we watched the birds come in.   What a sight.   First the woodpeckers and nuthatches followed by the usual flocks of starlings and sparrows.    Then for the first time ever a whole flock of cardinals.  We have cardinals on a regular basis but, because they are territorial, only one or two at a time.   I was not able to capture on film this spectacular  performance.  Seventeen cardinals were vieing for the sunflower seeds I had scattered on the patio bricks.   They didn't just swoop in and leave again but stayed to entertain us for several minutes.      Now that the snow is gone we only see the usual few cardinals feeding along side the chickadees and purple finches.      I will be watching for the mass to return when the snow comes again.