& sure enough, after it snowed a couple of weeks ago, birds came back. But overall, we are losing birds to habitat loss & climate change. We have a really small wildlife preserve with a pond nearby, & the number of birds compared to three decades ago when we first moved here, is startling when I think about it.

Chances are some are at a distance calculating the odds.

Now the crows land while I am at the backyard bistro.
And when that pesky squirrel comes around, the bluebirds buzz dive at its back end.

Apparently, swallows have largely gone away world wide.

They ended up with four chicks. It was fun to watch the daily feeding and the skimming
of water off the birdbath.

My wife and I do a lot to make our yard attractive to birds and our home borders a city owned open space that has been much neglected.

Over the years people have been encouraging native plants to grow, replacing some of the horticultural atrocities that were planted when the area was originally developed. The irrigation system that was installed then has long since expired. It first fell into disrepair unused during a major drought and was never revived.

Although I rarely see warblers, mainly because I don’t think they like the sunflower seeds and suet I put in my feeders.

But plenty of chickadees, juncos, house finches, sparrows, goldfinches, flickers, woodpeckers and in the nearby woods, owls.

And Of course the bald eagles and other raptors circle above looking for a meal.

Down by the shoreline, even more variety, with herons, gulls, oyster catchers and other shorebirds.