Three Species

This is Butch the Junco. Butch is tough. Look at his posture and stance. He's ready for anything and has been all day. Butch showed up this morning by himself, under the feeder, ate a few seeds, then startled, madly fled to the back Spruce.

Well, he might have been only one bird but it's one more than has been around for days.


4:22:49PM Look we're up to three Juncos. Notice that the up-left bird is eating away, oblivious but the male, right, is looking left and the female center is taking a cue from him.

And here comes Butch! Mr. Up-left is gone! I told you Butch was tough. Though I wish Butch hadn't done that. Otherwise there would have been four birds! A definite record in the last few weeks.

Mrs. Junco checks out Butch and decides she isn't going to let him disrupt her first meal on the patio in many a day.

Now the patio is up to four males plus spunky Mrs. Junco.

Count 'em! We're up to six!

There is a flit to the feeder. A male House Finch, and we're up to two species--

One House Finch and seven Dark-eyed Juncos.

That's when I looked up, and there in one of her usual perches, was Doorstep Dove.

She gave me a look and then settled down to watch the sunset just as she had done before the raptors came to stay.

And she stayed until the sun disappeared behind the horizon. Then flew away, I hope to find Friend already at roost.

Donegal Browne