I am finding myself eagerly arising every morning now to check out the birds around my water feature. This morning I arose to another completely new bird for my yard and a lifer for me! A fully mature and delightfully colored male WESTERN TANAGER was dancing around my pools and fountain. Simply breath-takingly beautiful.
I have spiced up the area a bit with handfuls of a cheap seed mix with millet and the like and it has produced a true bounty. I have flocks of Chipping and White Throated Sparrows mixing in with a Song Sparrow, Blue Jays, my resident annual Brown Thrashers, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, robins of course, residual Juncos, eternal though decreased numbers of House Sparrows and FInches, congregating grackles and now the occasional First of the Yard visitors! What next will feather it's way into my Spring joy? Pinch me Ethyl, I must be dreamin'! (who the heck is Ethyl?) Thomas Maiello Spring Lake Park
