Birds in the backyard

White crowned sparrow

We hear so many different bird calls and songs in the garden these days. Some I recognize, such as House finches, American crows, Chestnut back chickadees, Bewick's wrens, White crowned and House sparrows, Brown eyed bushtits, and Anna's hummingbirds. And then there are others I can't figure out. Maybe more migrating birds?

I had not seen the sparrows through the summer months, and I wondered what happened to them. But now they are back! For about two weeks now we're seeing the them, especially the White crowned sparrows, bathing in one of the birdbaths several times a day.

Male House finch waiting its turn for the birdbath

All that splashing around means that the baths need to be replenished with fresh water every day. But it really isn't so much water because the baths are small, apparently just the right size for the sparrows and finches, chickadees and the occasional hummingbird (!).

Female Anna's hummingbird