Ten best birds of 2021

[Hugh Kingery]

Responding to Nick's posting a couple of weeks ago asking for our top  ten, Urling and I put together this list.

* "Palomino" Junco returned for the 4th winter. Palomino, a Gray-headed Junco, has splotches of white that distinguish it from other juncos.

* Oct. 6, sitting outside for lunch, we watched a Spotted Towhee lurch into the air and drop. A rattlesnake had caught it; it took a half hour for the snake to consume the towhee.

* Townsends' Solitaires returned in October, tooting and singing their lovely warble to set up winter territories.

* A Fox Sparrow visited us from January to March.

* A Northern Goshawk burst onto our hanging-flat feeder, paused a moment, then went on.

* Ovenbirds sang regularly from a stream bottom.

* Two Golden Eagles soared over the house; then a Prairie Falcon dove at one or the other, over and over.

* Pygmy Nuthatches started coming regularly to our feeders. What fun to watch these little acrobats.

* The Big Sit! at our house didn't net memorable birds but did provide excellent company.

* And, a non-bird, and not quite a "best." Our rabbit brush blooming in October failed to attract the usual menu of butterflies. Instead we had 3-4 kinds, sporadically. It did attract masses of honey bees on a daily basis.

Hugh & Urling