20 February 04

Feasting On Blossoms

whcrsparrow.jpgThis white-crowned sparrow has been chowing down on almond blossoms along with his buddies. (Numenius took this photo yesterday morning.) Most of the sparrows, which spend the winter here in the Central Valley, have now moulted into adult plumage. They will be heading north over the next six weeks or so. The storm system that put so much water in our vicinity was warm and this, along with the increasing light, will be triggering the various synapses that cause birds to get up and go.

I think they like almond blossoms the best, not just because they’re the first ones. The blossoms smell just like honey.

My last day of work in Graduate Studies was today. I’ll be starting my new job at the Wildlife Health Center on Monday…

Posted by at 07:11 PM in Nature and Place | Link |
  1. I’ve been enjoying the white crowns who come visit our yard, though there’s nothing as delectable as almond blossoms chez nous. Mazel tov on your new position. It sounds very interesting.
    Virginia

    — Virginia    21. February 2004, 07:08    Link
  2. Thanks, Pica and Numenius, for that lovely photo. Our sparrows don’t have such cute little white crowns. Our almond blossons are also first out this week. So encouraging – like the rainbow after the floods!

    Good luck for the new job next week. Look forward to hearing about it.

    — Coup de Vent    21. February 2004, 10:14    Link
  3. Thanks for the bird pic: warms my heart! And good luck with the new job, and grad studies…

    — Lorianne    21. February 2004, 11:02    Link
  4. Oh, the joys of white crowned sparrows. With any luck they will be moving thru Massachusetts in early May. And sharing their bubbly song with all who care to listen.

    How was the first day on the new job???

    — Lindy Loo    23. February 2004, 16:12    Link

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