The Juncos Are Back!

Getting ready to leave for work this morning, I happened to glance out the big window at the ten or so feeders I’ve had up, full and basically untouched for a month. Every single feeder had birds on it! It’s like someone opened the floodgates and let it pour; I’m so happy! Yes, I was late to work. Uh…my name is Beverly and I’m a bird-watcher.

I watched several Juncos on the ground (Oregon variety), dozens of Pine Siskins and some American and Lesser Goldfinch, too. And all three color-variations of House Finch (yellow, orange and red).

I also watched a streaky, rich-brown bird…small and sparrow like on the ground, in the bushes and (oddly) flying up under the eves of the old barn out back…clinging to places underneath. I am familiar with House Sparrows…and have them in my yard (though thankfully not like the hordes I see about town); these are not the same. Of course, they could be ‘young’ HOSP…perhaps they lack the black chins and throat and the brilliant white cheeks. Still, these birds looked sparrow-like but a rich, deep, streaky brown with a grayish head, lighter bellies, also streaked. I’m thinking I might have Fox Sparrows! I’ll watch them a bit longer before I decide…

While perusing Wiki, I discovered that, while not this time, I've likely had a similar-looking bird (to my eye) in my yard; a Song Sparrow. I remember thinking that the bird looked a lot like a chipmunk...with that same adorable, brown-stripped head. This will take closer study! But ya'll know I like that. LOL

Photos from Wikipedia