First Robin this Year!

Another visit to Chichester and more evidence Spring is on the way …

First Robin of the year

There were also 4 Bufflehead males and a female floating in the Sumac pond. Two of the males were vying for pairing rights with the female and their antics were quite humourous to watch. She’s playing hard to get, though, and paid them no attention while they scooted and flapped and strutted their stuff.

Male Bufflehead showing off

Two male Buffleheads competing for a female

Bufflehead Ducks - she hasn't made a choice yet

A Birder’s Paradise

One of the reasons I like living in the orchard is because of all the birds that come to my feeders. I have been a bird watcher for many years and am amazed at how happy they always seem to be. Even when they squabble and fight over who gets to eat, they don’t seem to hold grudges. Too bad people couldn’t learn a few lessons from them!

I get a wide variety of birds here. In the winter it’s mainly California quail, finches, sparrows, robins, chickadees and juncos, with the odd magpie thrown in. I have yet to get a decent picture of a magpie – they are like quicksilver when the camera comes out.

In March, the hummingbirds arrive. We get four varieties of hummers here – Calliope, Anna’s, Rufous and Allen’s. I like the Calliope best because they are the tiniest and yet are such great scappers!

Here’s a few of my bird pics – none of them wonderful, but they make me smile when I look at them …

Black-capped Chickadee

Finches …

Sparrows …

Northern Flicker …

California Quail …

And my all-time favourite … the Hummingbirds …

In Illinois, we had a wonderful tree right outside our office window. Their state bird is the Red Cardinal and we used to get a breeding pair once in a while in the tree.

This is the best I could get of the Red Cardinal …

We also had Blue Jays in that tree …

Here’s an American Robin …

Okay – that’s enough birds for now. Looking at the ones from Illinois is making me sad. Sure do miss my Sweetie.