Two steps back….

Seems like every time we take a step forward toward spring….we then take two steps back….

This morning…it snowed…

enough to put a skiff of white on the roofs and grass….

there were a number of Bufflehead and Hooded Mergansers down there, both this morning, in the snow, and at mid-day when the weather had moderated somewhat.

Before I get into the rest of today, I want to add to yesterday, as there were a couple of ‘first sightings’  after I did the posting….

The first was when I looked out at the feeder outside my window, to see a

male Brown Headed Cowbird – that file picture wasn’t taken yesterday but was taken here in the area.  Brown Headed Cowbirds aren’t birders favorite bird, mainly due to their parasitic nature – they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, leaving the raising of the next generation to other species….

another time when I looked outside yesterday I had a feeder full of…

Band Tail Pigeons!  again, this picture wasn’t taken yesterday but was taken in my other backyard just a block or so away…there was a similar scene yesterday though as I counted 9 of them….  and then one final sighting….

my husband saw 2 Greater Yellowlegs Sandpiper at the log bay yesterday evening.  This picture was taken at the same location on April 16, 2008 so you can see the timing is just about right!

Now, back to today….the first thing I noticed  were the numbers of Bushtits and Ruby Crowned Kinglets….the bushes were alive with them from one end of the walk to the other!

Another ‘first of the season’ by the viewing platform, was a

male Common Yellowthroat ~ again, the picture wasn’t taken today but was taken at the same location on May 4, 2006.

Along at the log bay…

the usual Red-wing Blackbirds, Robins, and the Flicker was back on that piling…

but also there were quite a few American Goldfinch just singing and singing…I did manage to catch this male but most of them were being very annoying, staying on the far side of the shrubs.

The Black Capped Chickadee pair continue to excavate at this nesting site…it is now so deep that when they dive in head first they completely disappear from sight…

look at the mouthful of sawdust this little guy has! Two very busy little birds!!

Then the surprise of the day…

was spotting a female Mountain Bluebird….

here is a better look at her.  All in all another pleasant (well not weather wise) day in the birding department!