Jaci Dawn

That was a silly, rambling post last night. I needed to write, so I followed the words along the screen and let them dictate the content of the blog. It is not the best way to write, but when you are faced with Writer’s Block, it sometimes helps to wake up the creative muse.

I have a number of photos to share with the Blogging World, specifically those of you who love birds as much as (or more than) I do.

But first…

I took several photos of dog prints on the frosty deck.

I just had to share that.

The little female ruby-crowned Kinglet has been hanging around again this winter.

I do not know why there is not a male Ruby-crowned Kinglet hanging around, or why they are not summer feeders. Still, this is the second winter she has made it a point to hang out in our yard.

I would like to interrupt this blog with an announcement: I do not know a lot about birds. People come to me to ask “What bird is that?” all the time. I look them up and make and educated guess.

I toggle between Peterson’s Field Guide (in print form) and Cornell University Ornithology Lab (online). And I pay a lot of attention to the details.

I still got the Kinglet wrong last winter. I thought she was a vireo based on the white ring around her eye, but I submitted a photo of her to Cornell Lab and they came back with the definitive answer: female Ruby Crowned Kinglet.

These birds crack me up. Posers!

They are Lesser Goldfinches. I suppose that means they aren’t quite American Goldfinches, commonly known as “canaries” by the non-schooled.

Canaries are little yellow birds indigenous to (hold onto your chair) the Canary Islands. They are commonly sold as pets. They are all yellow.

American Goldfinches are striking yellow-and-black birds indigenous to… Oh, you guessed. The Americas.

Lesser Goldfinches often flock with American Goldfinches. They do not have low self-esteem. They consider the title “Lesser” to be a medallion of distinction. They are not the same as American Goldfinches and they know it.

I just made that up.

And that it is for tonight.