Towheeblog

Between rains today the birds were very busy in our garden. At one point four BH Grosbeaks gathered on or near a hanging feeder. They were not sedate, nor still, so I could not get all of them in a single frame. The female was my first of her gender this year. Some species seem to migrate in segregated flocks, mostly one gender or even one age (adults OR juvies). It could be she’s a new arrival. The guys have been hangin’ around all this month.

Those last two shots compare her size with that of a House Finch, the latter already being 50% more than the bulk of the persisting siskins. In past years–when there are siskins–they have lingered through May, with even sporadic sightings here in June.
Here’s the only shot I could muster of a fluttering, flighty OC Warbler:

Today was our birdiest in some time, more species than we’ve been getting since several of our wintering birds departed (sparrows, Varied Thrush, Townsend’s Warbler).
On this towhee notice how worn the ends of the tail feathers:

These gorbeaks are in the cardinal family, found around the globe. Some gross beaking:

954 Ratcliff Drive SE, Marion, Oregon, US
May 7, 2024
15 species

Wild Turkey  X     heard only
Mourning Dove  6
Downy Woodpecker  1
Steller’s Jay  X
California Scrub-Jay  X
American Crow  X
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  1
Bushtit  X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
House Finch  X
Pine Siskin  X
American Goldfinch  X
Spotted Towhee  1
Orange-crowned Warbler  1
Black-headed Grosbeak  4