Painted Bunting 2007

Today I was sitting on the porch and saw a movement in my right peripheral vision. I looked and there, not 20 feet away, sat a male painted bunting. I almost fainted but instead got still and awestruck. He sat there several seconds and then flew to the feeding tree. He sat there several more seconds and then flew off playfully with a drab, reddish brown bird. Perhaps it was a juvenile since the female counterpart would be green, so who knows?! My first thought was that it was a female cardinal

What a joy and a wonder in my own yard!

First hummingbird 2007

Today I was hoping and was so happy when the first hummer of the season showed up at the feeder. It was a little boy! The girls are surely not far behind. I made him some fresh sugar water and he came back for a drink. I had put the feeders out a month ago but freezing weather kept them gone, I suppose. PLUS, this is a year and one day later than I saw the first one last year!