Birds I've Seen in my Yard - Wilson's Warbler

Wilson's Warbler by David Lindsey
Originally uploaded by D.L. Lindsey

So one Thursday afternoon, my kid threw up in the toybox at daycare. Four days later, it was my turn to be sick. I stayed home from work and spent a lot of time on the couch. Miserable as that morning was, I was lucky to be on the couch. Otherwise, I might not have caught this little migrant passing through.

First I saw movement in the yellow trumpet flower. Then I saw the flash of yellow. Next, the greenish wings... and I wondered if it was a lesser goldfinch, except it was too small to be that! So out came the bird book. Lo and behold, it was a Wilson's Warbler. I tried sitting out on the front step for a while, camera poised, but no luck. He didn't come back. Safe travels, little birdie!

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wilsons_Warbler/id

Birds I've Seen in my Yard - Gila Woodpecker

Gila woodpecker
Originally uploaded by BirdieMama

So this is not my photo or my hummingbird feeder. It is somebody else's photo of a Gila woodpecker clinging to somebody else's hummingbird feeder. I haven't managed to capture a good photo yet on my own camera.

I had been seeing a pair of Gila's in my yard recently, but at least three times in the past couple weeks, I've caught one actually hanging onto our feeder for dear life. The first time, a hummingbird came along and scared the woodpecker off. It was funny to see such a big bird hanging half upside-down from such a precarious perch, craning to get a little sip of nectar.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gila_Woodpecker/id