Abundant birds...

Maybe this blog has me paying more attention; I'm not sure. But one recent morning, I saw at least 12 different kinds of birds in the trees/shrubs around the house, including a magnolia finch, yellow chat and orchard oriole. (I had to look those up, as I'm not a "birder.") And a spotted sandpiper has been a frequent visitor to our shoreline, teetering and bobbing its tail up and down as it walks the water's edge in search of insects. That bobbing is what finally helped me identify it via the Cornell Lab site, which reports that these sandpipers migrate from Mexico or South America and are commonly sighted around urban ponds. The female arrives first to establish and defend the territory. The male arrives later, taking on the primary role in parental care, incubating the eggs and taking care of the young. Like "Daddy Daycare!" Watch for that bobbing and teetering motion--it's unique. They say that the chicks teeter nearly as soon as they hatch from the egg. It's quite the little dance! You can check it out in this YouTube video.