An April Love

One of the spring flowers, Columbine, just began to bloom.

Northern Flickers often come and visit my backyard to peck on the suet.

Today, two of them (male on the left)  just happened to show up at the same place.  Rarely one lets the other come and feed at the same time.  Maybe because of the spring season, they are more tolerant of each other.

"Guess what we are.  A heart shape."

Nice to Be Back

My blueberry bushes are getting the flowers; some are beginning to bloom.

Lincoln's Sparrows are here.

"I am slightly lighter colored than a Song 

Sparrow.  I come here for summer."

Once I saw two of them.

"We are two of us.  But I bet you can't tell which is which."

Right now he/she's been exploring the neighborhood after several months of absence.

"I don't remember this log being here."

Newcomer

In mid April, I was expecting a summer bird to make a pit stop.  Close the noon time, I saw a bunch of regular birds flying in.  Amongst them, I saw someone unusual, first lying low around the lawn and then flying onto the bush near the fence.  Who is this?

"Hi, I am on the way to a wetland where 

I can wait for my mate to arrive later."

This is a Common Yellow Throat male, who happened to show up in my backyard for the first time!

"Many birds were fussing around here, so I wanted to find out why."

"If I can find some bugs, I may stop over again

 in the fall on the way back to the south."

No More Flood

At the nearby wetland, the flood has receded and we strolled around the reservoirs yesterday.  Quite a few people were enjoying the dry weather.   Some wild flowers are now in bloom.

Northern Shovelers were paddling away from me as I walked near.

"Watch out for people!  They are unpredictable."

Many Tree Swallows were busy building a nest nearby.

"Yesterday was very stormy with the tree
uprooting wind.  I'm glad it's over now."

Another Summer Bird

Finally my camellia bush had flowers.   This individual, too,  was waiting for the sweet blossoms.

A summer bird, Orange-crowned Warbler, stopped over to feed on bugs on pine needles early in the morning.

Then, down below were a lot of pear blossoms with sweet nectar.

"I've been waiting for this nectar."