Bird of the Week

If you've been reading along, you may know that I keep trying to insert a weekly segment on the blog. So far, none of them have stuck. *shrug*

So, here I am again. This time I'm shooting for a regular Sunday post called "Bird of the Week". Since I'm a bird watcher and my birdfeeder sits right outside the window in front of my desk, this works with the writing theme of this blog. You see, as I'm sitting here working, the birds entertain me, they keep me sane, and they remind me of the beautiful things in the world. They also provide a nice distraction when I need a quickie break.

To kick things off, I'd like to share a bird that's quickly become one of my favorites - the White-Crowned Sparrow, or as I like to call them: Skunky birds.

*Image deleted to prevent any potential copyright issues*
(Here's where I got the picture.)

If you'll notice in the picture, their little heads are black and white striped (for the most part - there are color variations where their heads are tan and brown striped) - hence the 'Skunky' label. They're mostly ground feeders, but since the other birds like to knock stuff out of the feeder, they're feeling fat and sassy at my house.

One of the things I like about these little guys is a little shuffle they do when they're feeding. They jump forward and scootch back, dragging their claws along the ground. The Skunky-bird Shuffle. I'm assuming they uncover food better this way, but whatever the reason, watching them do it makes me smile.

Right now, I have about a half dozen scratching their way through the grass around my feeder and underneath the neighbor's lilac bushes. (Along with scads of house finches and common sparrows, as well as one lonely little lesser goldfinch.)

This week when you're out and about, look at the birds around you. You just might see a Skunky-bird. If not, you'll be sure to see some other feathered wonder. =o)