They often begin feeding before dawn and will move to new areas to eat, drink and rest throughout the day. If your schedule matches theirs, you will see birds in your yard that day. If they do not match, you won't see as many. Anything can change where birds go next, but the overall pattern will stay similar for those that have territories that cover your yard. Birds are not always where you want them to be.
Smaller birds have smaller territories.
A downy woodpecker is the size of a sparrow and may have a winter territory only a few acres in size. A red-headed woodpecker is the size of a robin and may cover several hundred acres. The pileated woodpecker is the size of a crow and it needs a territory of about 10 square miles. A small bird, such as a house finch, may be in your yard several times in one day, while a blue jay may not come but once a week. Learn to listen for the birds to announce their arrival.