Not a Bushtit...but a Kinglet

At first in the morning, I thought I would be stuck at home all day since it was pouring rain out. Surprisingly, the rain stopped in the afternoon, and when I biked out, the sky actually cleared a bit for awhile and it was sunny. Amazing!

Love the Sun!

No more Bald Eagle perched on bare branches anymore. Green leaves are budding now.

I always enjoy coming through this path. That willow just makes the trail that much more interesting.

American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) eating catkins.

Now, whenever I pass by and there are smaller-than-chickadees birds flying around, I always think they are Bushtits, and since I never have to chance to see them up-close and photograph them, I never assumed otherwise. But today, one stopped its acrobatic movements for just enough for me to photograph it. Turned out it's not a Bushtit after all!

After checking with the field guide (when I returned home), it's a Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) instead! And a female one too. What a cute-looking bird.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are one of the smallest birds in North America. The male has the red crown but only visible when it's excited. The white eye-ring is also a distinct characteristic. I am just happy that I finally identified them properly. Hooray.
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