See Ya Later Friend

Dark-eyed Junco (male)

Photo © Bruce A. Morrison

(click on image for a larger view)

Easter Sunday our friends left us for Minnesota...eventually Canada.  I miss them already; they have a sweet spring voice that is pleasant to listen to each year before spring really takes hold here.  But they'll be back next fall!  Sometimes they stay through the winter in large numbers...sometimes only a few...each year is different.  This year they were scarce in the yard through winter, until early in March when they were back in hoards!   Everyone recognizes Juncos right!?

Dark-eyed Juncos are the bird feeder staple...they usually spend their feeding time on the ground under the feeders though...this male was singing outside my studio window last week when I took a quick photo of him.  He's a good example of male Junco plumage!  Has that nice dark gray hood, and dark eye.  The ladies are only duller but you can still discern the hood feature.

It's been a different spring here this year...not to most people's liking!  But different with the yard birds too...the Juncos stayed long and now that they're gone, the usual "new" visitors have been slow and scarce in returning.  We've had one or two White-throated Sparrows but then they're gone...not normal here as they stay and seranade for a few weeks too.  

But goodbye Juncos, see ya later friend...have a nice summer up north!