These next two photos show you how I spend the majority of my time in the yard.  My objective is to photograph some of the rarer birds that visit, but the reality is that for most of the time I have over a dozen American goldfinches in the yard at any one time and one or two pairs of American robins that enjoy making multiple visits to the watercourse.  So I pass the time while waiting for unusual visitors by taking photos of these frequent visitors.  The goldfinches resemble to some extent some of the warblers that visit, so it’s a constant challenge to monitor the yard and ensure that a warbler isn’t disguised among them.

Rufous hummingbirds are frequent visitors to the yard and occasionally enjoy bathing in the watercourse when they’re not exploring the vegetation or visiting the feeders.

The Wilson’s warbler is our most frequent warbler visitor to the yard.  Yesterday (5/8/2017) I had one or more males visit the yard 5-6 times.  I have yet to see a female this year.

We have a pair of Downy woodpeckers that are frequent visitors to the suet and peanut feeders.  This is the male.

We have a pair of Northern flickers (plus one other!) that are also regular visitors to the suet and peanut feeders.  This is the male.

We still have Golden-crowned sparrows in the yard.  I’m beginning to wonder not when they’ll migrate but IF they’ll migrate!  With plenty of cover, food and companions life is good at our place!

We have Red-winged blackbirds that travel a couple of blocks from the sewage treatment plant wetland for food.  They only visit this time of year and it’s my theory that they visit for quick, easy food and only have to spend a minimal amount of time away from their nest.

And finally (just a reminder that there’s always a finally!), one of our premier visitors of the spring/summer season… a male Black-headed grosbeak.  This is the only time of year that I utilize a platform feeder and it’s just for the benefit of the grosbeaks, although other birds utilize it.  If I want to photograph grosbeaks off the feeder I have to maintain a constant vigilance as they have a habit of surveying the yard from a hidden position and then flying to the feeder in stealth mode.