Immature Color

The Chinese New Year will be on 2/8 this year.  It will be the Monkey Year.

It's been warm.  The miniature rose next to the patio still has green leaves.  The viburnum next to it has blossoms.   Another sign of the global warming...

A couple of times this year, I saw one immature White-crowned Sparrow.  When matured, he will have a white crown.

"I am young, so have tan and brownish head stripes with clean grayish white below."

Ruby-crown Now Visible

Everyone likes to see the ruby-crown if possible.  But oftentimes he is too far away or behind the bushes.  Lately one Ruby-crowned Kinglet comes around quite a few times a day (maybe two of them, but they look almost same).

"You can see my ruby-crown today."

"Now right in the front."

"Aunt Junco likes to see it, too."

After a Long Absence

After a long absence, a male Purple Finch stopped over the other day.  He looks like a House Finch, but his color is deep pink.

"I like to eat your seeds."

"I have a white eyebrow."

"Be nice to me, Uncle Junco."

Two Can Share.

One morning I saw two Downy Woodpeckers.   One chased the other one out.  I can not tell which is which.  Maybe one is slightly smaller and young?  Can you tell?

"I am the boss in this backyard!!"

"The boss chased me out, but I will be at this suet.  Ready to munch for breakfast."

Mystery Solved

I have been a member of the local Audubon Society.  So I receive their newsletter, which just arrived to tell me this news that Mountain Chickadees moved into the lower elevation for winter when not enough food(conifer seeds) was available in the higher elevation.  It happened in the winters of 2000-2001, 2007-2008, 2012-2013, and the current 2015-2016.

No wonder I found one of them in my backyard this winter.

"You got it finally."

"I appreciate your seeds."

The First Snow of the Year

The big flakes of snow started falling early yesterday and continued on till noon.  Due to the below freezing temperature, the road surface is slick and the trees are coated with ice this morning.

"Not much food around, I'll try these dry, sour berries."

"I am strong.  No problem with the snow."

"It's a cinch.  After the suet, I can drink the snow for water."

Happy New Year!

This week has been very sunny.  After the long rain, everyone enjoys the dry weather although the blue sky plummets the temperature down.  Here are New Year's greetings just received from little birds from my backyard:

"I'm hopping into the New Year."

"Ready for the year of 2016!"

"Hooray!"