American Robin

This bad boy was chasing the Eurasian Collared-doves from my backyard. Why? I don't know! We have a lot of male robins in the neighborhood -- they're all establishing territories while they wait for the females to arrive. Maybe this fellow fancies keeping our backyard to himself.

Snow Goose

Here's a lone snow goose hanging out with a flock of Canada geese. Why? I have no idea. But it's a snow goose, as evidenced by its size, the overall white body, the black wing tips (appearing as a what seems to be a black tail) and the "grimace" on the beak. 

This is the first time I've seen a lone goose like this with Canada geese.

Here the bird is with some Canada geese for size reference.

 Note the black wing tips (looking like a black tail here) and the "black lips" on the pink beak.

And another profile.

 

Eurasian Collared-Dove

I hoping that the mated pair I see winging around my neighborhood will nest in our front yard spruce tree. I even installed a nesting platform in it two years ago. They've inspected the tree many times, but still no nest building. Still hoping...

Here's the male singing on Easter morning. A lot to sing about, for sure!

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

The Chestnut-backed Chickadee is not as commonly seen in my backyard as the Black-capped, so it is a welcomed visitor. Beautiful little fellas!

 

 

House Finch

Gotta love house finches. So pretty, These are a mated pair feeding at the backyard feeder. Probably passing through, but who knows? They didn't respond to my questions...

 

Song Sparrow

For the last three years we've had the same male song sparrow in our backyard. Our yard was part of his territory. But he was chased off by an especially aggressive male white-crowned sparrow this past summer. Now, we have a new song sparrow singing his heart out from perches around both our front and back yards. He sings slightly different than the song sparrow before him, though still very much a song-sparrow style. 

 

 

Pine Siskin

Yeah for spring! A small flock of Pine Siskins were visiting the backyard feeder. Pretty little things, albeit understated for a cousin of the American Goldfinch.