A Summer Song

It is already in the middle of May.

Iris in bloom

The other morning I heard a familiar summer song in the backyard.  I knew a Black-headed Grosbeak, a summer bird, had arrived.    The song went away, but after a little while, I saw the bird landed on his branch.

"Somebody finished my suet here."

About a week later, a female Black-headed Grosbeak arrived here.

"I am not so bright and eye-catching as my partner, but I am sweet."

A Big Bird

Last Sunday was a beautiful day.  I like to hang clothes outside on such a day, feeling the warmth and freshness of the air.

Then into my view, appeared a big bird, Great Blue Heron,  on top of my neighbor's roof.  I sneaked back into the house to grab my camera.  Upon my return he was still there mesmerized with the Koi fish in the pond.

Later sensing my stare through the lens, the bird jumped up to a tree.

Soon it had to give up his plan of eating the fish.

"I'm afraid somebody might get

 me before I catch anything.  Bye now."

Who Likes the Apple Blossoms?

Here it is. I found one who likes the apple blossoms.   Since my old apple tree began blooming a male House Finch  has been munching the flower petals.

"Sweet, but tangy.  I like the spring time 'cause 

many fruit trees have delicious flowers."

A New Bird on the Block

Apple blossoms are now in bloom.  Both honey bees and bumble bees are buzzing around collecting honey here.

This summer bird showed up after my Song Sparrow left for the wooded area.  He/she looks like a Song Sparrow, but is lot lighter color with beige chest and thin streaks.

"Hi, do I look like a Lincoln's Sparrow?"

"Because of the light beige color and slim
streaks, I belong to the Lincoln's Sparrow."

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."