![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.80acresonline.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/Am-goldfinch-m197.jpg\" "\\"Am-goldfinch-m197\\"")
<\/a>This northern-bound American Goldfinch male is changing from winter drab to full breeding plumage and will be brilliant by the time he’s on his home territory.<\/p>\nMeanwhile, a pair of year-round residents, Inca doves, are dealing with the warmer weather and longer daylenghths by engaging in courtship behaviors.<\/p>\n
The male is doing his best to spread his tail and show off for the female, who goes on eating seeds or grain from the ground.\u00a0 He scuttles up to her (they have very short legs–it’s comical) and she moves away, still pcking at the grain.\u00a0\u00a0 Or she faces away and watched the photographer:<\/p>\n Since we have both winter-resident northern sparrows, and others of the same species that migrate through from winter homes south of us, it’s impossible to tell whether these individuals spent the winter with us, but they were certainly with us on March 9:<\/p>\n Another year-rounder is the White-winged Dove.\u00a0 This species has increased its range northward and its numbers as well.\u00a0\u00a0 They are voracious feeders at any bird feeder, and they’re aggressive towards smaller birds.\u00a0\u00a0 They also have amazing coloration, though they appear monotone “dove colored” from a distance except for the white wing patch.\u00a0 Since birds can see colors humans can’t, I suspect the faint hints of color are vivid to other mourning doves and have meaning.\u00a0 In late winter\/early spring, when the angle of sun is right, they show iridescent yellow that shifts to green\/turquoise as they move in an area just behind the black stripe on the cheek.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n