Birds nesting around the garden

I haven't posted much about bird observations this spring, aside from sightings of the hooded oriole nesting in the palm tree, and the hummingbird who is currently on her nest in the fig tree (posted last week).

We definitely have a lot of bird activity around the garden, and the air is filled with bird songs and calls by sparrows, Bewick wrens, house finches, crows, hummingbirds, oak titmice and other birds. However, I haven't been very successful taking photos of them, because they simply move too fast.

But this weekend, by having time to just sit still on the back steps, I was successful capturing with the camera our garden visitors in action.

Above is a California towhee with dried grass or other plant fibers for nesting materials in its beak. It suddenly hopped on the fence and announced its presence with a short chirp. Then it flew away with its stash.

The best time to observe birds seems to be in the morning hours and then late afternoon.

Yesterday morning I heard different kinds of chirping, like a chorus.

Looking out of the front door I saw this group of birds on the electric wires.

There are two kinds of finches - house finches and goldfinches.

You can see the distinctive red orange coloring of the house finch which is second from the left.