My yard birding on Saturday, October 15, 2022, began about mid-morning when I returned from breakfast and counted at least nine Golden-crowned sparrows in the yard, probably a new record!  There were no other species of interest so I took a break. 

Around 1pm I looked out the window and saw a Golden-crowned kinglet around the watercourse so I headed back outside with my camera. Before long we had at least three in the yard and I suspected at least one more. I was able to take many photos of the birds. 

During the kinglets’ incursion a Pacific wren entered the yard and eventually ended up traveling along the side of the watercourse. I switched my attention to it since photos of the wren are harder to come by. 

Shortly after the Golden-crowned kinglets left a Ruby-crowned kinglet entered the yard, but I was only able to obtain a ‘record’ shot of it. I had a second visit about an hour later but fared even worse, getting no photo. 

About an hour later we had another visit from three Golden-crowned kinglets. On this visit all three discovered wet leaves on our madrone trees ( from my banishing squirrels from the yard) and they opted to take ‘leaf baths’ instead of visiting the watercourse. 

During my observations I saw the Spotted towhee with the crossed beak that I had photographed several days previously.  (no photo.)

We’ve had several visits by Anna’s hummingbirds visiting the yard, and most seem to be males. Even though there were a couple of intervening branches, I liked this photo…

During most of this time I was kept company by one of our Townsend’ chipmunks which has yet to hibernate for the winter. It profits from sunflower seeds broadcast for the birds and its own special supply of diced peanuts. 

I was just getting ready to give it up about mid-afternoon when I thought I saw a woodpecker fly to one or our medium-sized fir trees in the yard. It wasn’t of much interest (Downy woodpeckers are common in the yard and this bird was not within acceptable photographic range)… when I noticed it had a dark red head!  This was a Red-breasted sapsucker, a very rare yard visitor!  I tried to take some photos of the bird but it was mostly hidden by the trunk of the tree. It flew after a minute or so, and unfortunately, instead of flying further into the yard it flew to the woods to the south of us.