I had interested participants in my beginning birding course over to the house on May 19.  There was a lot of birding activity in the yard but not many unusual birds. Late in the day I saw a single Orange-crowned warbler pass through the yard, but that was the only warbler for the day.

On May 20 I had a banner day though disappointing from a photographic standpoint.  It began with what appeared to be a female Wilson’s warbler but in processing photos I’ve decided that it was probably a male.

Later in the day I saw what was definitely a male Wilson’s warbler.

Just as it was getting almost too dark to take photos, a Hermit thrush showed up in the yard and proceeded to bathe in the watercourse.  I went outside with my camera but when the thrush emerged from the watercourse it flew straight out of the yard without giving me a chance for a photograph.

But during the day we had a pair of White-crowned sparrows,

a pair of Dark-eyed (Oregon) juncos and a pair of Golden-crowned sparrows,

all of which I presume are nesting in the neighborhood.   I was quite surprised to see the Golden-crowned sparrows since the others in the yard left 2-3 weeks ago.

I had a better day on May 21.  It began again with a male Wilson’s warbler, followed by the first Brown creeper I’ve seen in the past couple of weeks.

Later a male Yellow-rumped warbler (Audubon’s) entered the yard and then another (or possibly the same one) returned later in the afternoon.

But possibly the best photographic opportunity occurred when a male Black-headed grosbeak entered the watercourse for a bath, the first time that’s occurred when I was in the yard with my camera.  I had a full, unobstructed view of the bird and took full advantage of the opportunity.