OH! THE COLOR!

The Ruby Throated Hummingbirds are here in droves! There are six of them zooming around our yard and feeders. They are engaging in the arcing mating dance. I've counted twenty two consecutive arcs for a single bird. The Baltimore Orioles are busy at the oranges and grape jelly. I've counted nine at once on a single magnolia so far! Fabulous, just fabulous. They have a lovely chortling song, but they also like a staccato chatter when they are too close to each other for comfort with food. The American Goldfinches are in full breeding colors. On the same tree with the others were twenty of them, a Rose Breasted Grosbeak (I'm hoping for good photos later - wish me luck!), a Black and White Warbler, a Yellow Rumped Warbler, a Chipping Sparrow, a White Crowned Sparrow, four Puple Finches, Juncos and Chickadees. Of course, there were the thugs of the bird feeders, too: Blue Jays, Mourning Doves and Grackles. I think they are really pretty even if they are hogs!