Golden-crowned Sparrow

There is a flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows that arrived in the neighborhood a couple of weeks ago, and like to forage in both the front yard and back planter beds.

These sparrows winter in California, but breed in the summer in the tundra of Alaska and British Columbia.

This is our second winter here in our current location in the East Bay, and the second winter I see these sparrows. They seem to get along with the California Towhees, foraging right along with them in the yard.

They eat seeds and insects, including termites.

That's good because I just saw a lot of termites flying around the patio.

But they are also eating the leaves of a couple of small Pandora poppy seedlings Papaver rhoeas that I just transplanted a few weekends ago into one of the patio plant beds.

I'm sure those leaves are nice and tender.

Oh well, I can always get more of those poppies.

Foraging in the planter.