Backyard Nature Wednesday: Still here

By the first of March, it seemed that most of our winter visitor birds had left the area. No more Rufous Hummingbirds. No more American Goldfinches. No more Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers or Orange-crowned Warblers. No more Chipping...oh, wait, what is that? 

Over the weekend, I looked up to see a Chipping Sparrow perched on the grape vine in my backyard. It didn't stay there long but flew over to one of my feeders and began to have lunch. Usually when I see one chippie, there are several around, but this time I only saw this one.

Likewise, I thought all the Pine Siskins had absconded, but no! Here's one perched in my redbud tree on Sunday and I later saw four of them at my feeders. I even heard an American Goldfinch in the pine trees next door.

As I thought about it, it seemed likely to me that all of these birds had spent the winter farther south and that I am seeing them now as they head north. I do think that most of the winter birds that spent the season in my yard have already flown north toward their nesting grounds. But obviously there are some stragglers that are still here. I'll enjoy them while they are.

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