Spring Bath on Rose Leaves

Late in spring the Columbine, a perennial,  begins to bloom.  It comes in a variety of colors, and my backyard has them in yellow, light red, and dark red.  Red is a hummingbird's favorite color.

The other morning I saw a female Rufous Hummingbird taking a bath on top of the rose leaves.

"The rose leaves are stiff enough for me to roll over."

"See, wishy, washy....   I'm getting clean."

"Now, I'm ready for the blueberry juice."

Happy to See You Back #2

A happy surprise!!  I have not seen this summer bird for a couple of years, but one morning she showed up.

"Hi, I am a female Brown-headed Cowbird.  I am good at 

laying eggs at someone else's  nest."

The next day both he and she came over to munch my seeds.

"My partner told me this is a place to be. 

With your fresh seeds, I am full to the gills."

Happy to See You Back

Last spring was very cold, and some of the summer birds had to avoid my area to go up north.
This spring has been warm and now my wisteria is in full bloom.

When I was bird watching the other morning, I saw one bird who did not make it here last year.  That familiar reddish brown cap!

"Hi, I'm back.  I am a Chipping Sparrow, 

a summer bird, on the way to the north."

On a Rainy Day

When the weather is bad, birds tend to come over to my backyard where food is easily available.  Today was such a day when many birds stopped over during the frequent spring showers.  Amongst them was a returnee summer bird I saw last year.

"Hi, I am a MacGillivray's Warbler. I was here last year and

 thought I could stop over again this year.  Look, I already found one big bug!"

"Here is a sweet smelling wisteria.  I may find more bugs here."

"Just remember my broken white eye ring 

with the slaty gray head and yellow chest."

Sweet Blueberry Flowers

April weather is still unstable.   My blueberry bushes are getting old and do not have as many flowers as they did before.  Here are some in bloom.

An Orange-crowned Warbler, a summer bird,  arrived here a week ago and so far I saw it twice,  once early in the morning and again late in the evening.  It likes to  hang around the rose bushes and blueberry bushes.

"It's not warm, so not enough bugs are under the leaves today."

" I can't wait to drink the sweet blueberry nectar."

A Quick Stop-over

Spring weather is changeable.  For a week, it's been cold.  The other day I saw one White-crowned Sparrow that stopped over for a short rest.

"Hi, I just arrived here for a rest."

A few Golden-crowned Sparrows have been here this spring and did not want to have the white-crowned feeding here.

"A Golden-crowned Sparrow brother chased me out a couple 

of times.  Well, well, I'd better leave quickly."

Sorry to see you leave so quickly.  I have sufficient food here for everyone.

Arrival of Female Rufous Hummingbird

My blueberries are beginning to bloom in the backyard.   Hummingbirds love to suck the nectar.

About 8 days after the male Rufous Hummingbird arrived here, I saw a female which just arrived at a familiar sugar juice feeder at my place.  She flapped her wings many times to show her happiness.

" I'll stop over more often when I get settled here."