White-crowned Sparrows in my Regina Backyard: Spring!

White-crowned sparrow, with sunflower seed. © SB  

One of the first migratory sparrows we see in Regina, SK, has arrived in my backyard — the White-crowned Sparrow.

(We've also had a few White-throated Sparrows.)

White-crowned Sparrows are brilliant. If you're not paying attention, they look exactly like every other anonymous brown bird in all the world...

But once you take the time to focus, the streaks on their heads almost radiate light. So white!

The snow is barely gone, still no leaves on the trees, and the ground is bare in many places. But these birds make me happy: Spring! (Time to rake away the detritus of winter...)

White-crowned Sparrow on in-progress construction project © SB  

White-crowned Sparrow back at the sunflower seeds  © SB  

What are these? White-crowned Sparrows.

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo dates: Top image, May 1, 2014; Bottom two images: April 30, 2014. 

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