For the past two to three years I’ve noticed that birds, especially Pine siskins, utilized the stem of a native plant growing very near our stone bird bath as a perch. I’ve often thought that photographing a bird perched on the stem would make a good photo. I have no idea what kind of plant it is, but like so many of our native plants the deer consider the plant food. I have been somewhat frustrated in that each spring the deer that roam the neighborhood have decimated the plant, stripping most of the leaves and mauling the stem. However this year the plant has somehow escaped their attention. This has given me the opportunity for a photograph or two.

Here are a couple of photographs I’ve managed to take, the first a Pine siskin and the second an American goldfinch. Mission accomplished!

Postscript: I originally composed this blog several weeks ago and in the interim… you guessed it… the plant has again been decimated. However the plant is resilient and somehow manages to survive and grow each year, so I anticipate having a brief period for more photos next year! (If anyone recognizes this plant and knows its name, I would appreciate knowing it.)