Wisteria in Bloom

 My wisteria is in full bloom now.🌞

White-crowned Sparrow:  "I like your flower."

Bushtit:  "I prefer this suet."

Chestnut-backed Chickadee:  "Me, too."🤩

The Wetlands

 Most of the winter birds are gone to the woods or to Alaska.😿

Anna's Hummingbird:  "I miss them, but I am always here."😍

White-crowned Sparrow:  "I am back from the coast.  I will stay here in spring and fall."🌷

Bewick's Wren:  "I stay here most of the time, and often visit someone's backyard.👍

Spring Backyard

 A week ago, I saw Mt.Hood far away.

In my backyard, a lone White-crowned Sparrow stopped over.  One or two usually comes during spring and autumn.

"I just stopped over on the way to the woods."🌷

"I can always find  food here.  Thanks a million for your kindness."😋🌸☺️

Welcoming the Return

 The weather is changing at the wetlands.

Red-tailed Hawk:  "I am back."

Golden-crowned Sparrow:  "I am back,too."

 

White-crowned Sparrow:  "I am also back from the coast area."

Pear Flowers and White-crowned Sparrow

 During the spring and the autumn months, White-crowned Sparrow sometimes stops over here.

"I just stay here for a short while before going into the woods."

"I see several Golden-crowned Sparrows here.  They are my friends."

"Pear flowers are pretty.  When they are almost done, I have to be on my way."

Autumn Birds

 At the wetland, there are not many birds at this time of the year.   Most of the birds must have left for their migration.

Here is a male Anna's Hummingbird who stays here all the year around.

"I am lonesome since most of my friends are gone to south."

A male House Finch shares the same feeling:

"Me, too.  I soon have to go to the backyards to find seeds."

Many sparrows are halfway migrants who move between the woods in summer and the coast in winter within the Northwest or just Oregon.  One of them is a White-crowned Sparrow.

"I am on the way to the coast.   I usually 

visit this area in autumn and spring."  

Many Kinds of Sparrows

There are many kinds of sparrows in a bird book.  Just take a look at it to find how many you know.

Here is a summer bird named "Chipping Sparrow".  I have seen one many years ago, but finally this year one  returned to my backyard, just for several seconds.  

"I am new here."

Here is a Golden-crowned Sparrow.  They come in a flock in spring and autumn.  For a month or two, they hang around here.

"Hi, I am still staying here with my family.  

When the weather gets hot, we will go into the woods."

Here are a couple of White-crowned Sparrows.

"We may stay here longer until our little ones get out of the nest."

Red Maple Leaves

The maple leaves have changed their color.

White-crowed Sparrows comes around during the fall season.  While Golden-crowned Sparrows come in a small flock, this one always comes by him/herself.

"Golden-crowned Sparrows are related 

to me, so there's no problem."

"Many Oregon Juncos and Black-capped 

Chickadees are here.  They are all my friends."

Spring Visitor #2

White-crowned Sparrow stops over in the spring time.  For a few days, it shows up for a while.

Today was warm, so both the White-crowned Sparrow (left) and the Golden-crowned Sparrow (right) decided to take a sunbathing.

"It's relaxing here.  I have everything I need."

Hot Summer

It's been very hot around 100 F degrees for several days.   Now is the time for lavenders.  I pick them in the midday when the fragrance is at best and make lavender wands for my friends.

A couple of  White-crowned Sparrows are frequent visitors this summer.  They come in the morning to feed and in the afternoon to take a bath.

"Splash!  Stay out of my way."

"We found a nice and safe place to hang around."

On the Way to the Winter Hideout #4

This fall I have seen a few species of  sparrows here.  One below was hard to identify, but finally I concluded it is an immature White-crowned Sparrow.

"What?  You called me an immature bird?"

"I am just like a matured except the crown is not white yet."

"But I am still good-looking."

On the Way to the Winter Hideout

During fall, several kinds of birds stop over on the way to their winter hideout.
Early in the morning, I saw one White-crowned Sparrow.

"I just stopped for breakfast."

"And just as important, I wanted to  take a bath to lighten up my feathers."

Spring Visitor

Last week's unseasonal summer temperatures left for a while and the spring rain returned this week.  I wondered if most of the migrant birds may have avoided this area due to the sudden hot temperature and continued to go further north.  

But some migrant birds showed up here this week.  I saw one White-crowned Sparrow in the backyard. 

"I was here last fall during my migration.  I like the seeds around here."

"I like the morning sun."

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."

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.

Another Fall Visitor

It's nice to be back to my PC.  I planned to update my blog while I was away, but using another PC I could not access.   So now I can talk to you.  I hope everyone is doing fine.

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Some trees in our neighborhood are already dropping the leaves.  It still warms up by noon.   Our apples are worm eaten and sour, so they are left on the tree for birds to peck.

On the fence, I saw another autumn visitor, the White-crowned Sparrow.

"I made a quick stop-over today."

"Upon seeing a Golden-crowned Sparrow,  

I am assured this backyard is safe for me, too."

A Migration Stop

Last several days are filled with spring showers.  It helps keep Oregon green and spring flowers growing.  I found bleeding hearts getting heavy with many buds.

One such a rainy day, one White-crowned Sparrow stopped by.  This sparrow has a problem with his/her right foot.  Maybe that is why someone placed the metal marking to keep track.

 "Despite the foot, I have no problem in finding food and keeping fit."

"See how quickly I can maneuver."

Note: For the next couple of weeks I will be busy.  Afterwards, I will be back to blog writing as usual.  See you then.

Returned for Winter #3

The apple season has arrived.  At a weekend farmer's market, there are many apples for sale now.   My backyard has an apple tree, but those apples are eaten by bugs, and therefore, reserved for birds and squirrels to eat.

A new fall arrival, hiding behind the blueberry bush.  Can you guess who?

"I've been a regular fall/winter bird here."

 

The bird often mingles with his cousin, a Golden-crowned

Sparrow (in front).

"I have a white eyebrow."

 

"Because of a white crown you see now,  

I am called White-crowned Sparrow."