White crowned sparrows all over the ground

White crowned sparrows are so cute and round.  I love having them visit on their way north.  They stand out from the mulch by their black and white striped heads.

The tufted titmouse is visiting the suet feeder, which has a seed -filled suet.

The poor downy woodpecker isn't quite smart enough to move to the other side of the suet feeder; there's plastic on one side, which he's working hard to peck through.  the other side would be very easy to eat!

Chipping Sparrow

• This is another of our favorite sparrows.  It's very easily identified with its rusty colored cap.

  
  

  Size & Shape

  The Chipping Sparrow is a slender, fairly long-tailed sparrow with a medium-sized bill that is a bit small for a sparrow. Learning the shape of this classic Spizella sparrow is a key step in mastering sparrow identification.

• Color Pattern

  Summer Chipping Sparrows look clean and crisp, with frosty underparts, pale face, black line through the eye, topped off with a bright rusty crown. In winter, Chipping Sparrows are subdued, buff brown, with darkly streaked upperparts. The black line through the eye is still visible, and the cap is a warm but more subdued reddish brown.

  http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chipping_Sparrow/id
  

Sparrows: White-throated and White-crowned

We are currently seeing all of these in the garden.  The white-crowned is larger, and is quite impressive.  

White-crowned Sparrow

Adult white crowned
Similar to adult White-throated Sparrow

No yellow lores and no white throat patch

Orange or pink bill
Clear gray cheek, nape, and breast; browner flanks
Bold black and white head stripes with wide white middle stripe
© Linda Williams, Liberty, MO, February 2008

White-throated Sparrow

Adult white-striped
White throat and head stripes
Yellow lores (between bill and eye)
Gray face and unstreaked breast
Streaked brown back, wings, and tail
Gray bill
© Byard Miller, NH, Pittsburg, June 2008

Adult tan-striped
Often-seen alternate form has tan head stripes
Still has white throat and yellow lores
Often shows indistinct dark spot on breast
© Jim Paris, October 2008

from: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide

learn bird songs

chipping sparrow: http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=11

chickadee: http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=12

robin: http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=1

cardinal: http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=3

blue jay : http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=5

yellow warbler: http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=17

goldfinch: http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=23

rose breasted grosbeak: http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=36 similar to robin

slate colored junco: http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=37

Affectionate cardinals

Watching the cardinal pairs at the feeders last week, I saw a male and female touching bills several times. Isn't that sweet? I thought he might be feeding her, but now I think not. I think it was just an acknowledgement.

Rose breasted grosbeak

This is such a beautiful bird! I'm happy to see him back at our feeders. Now I need to keep a look out for the female.

		© Steve & Dave Maslowski/Photo Researchers, Inc.
		This handsome grosbeak is one of the most conspicuous birds before the foliage comes into full leaf in early May. It is beneficial to farmers, consuming many potato beetles and larvae as well as weed seeds, wild fruits, and buds. description 8" (20 cm). Starling-sized. Heavy pinkish-white bill. Male black and white with conspicuous rose-red patch on breast and underwings. Female white above and below with heavy brown streaking; prominent white eyebrow; yellow wing linings. This material provided by eNature.com.