I just saw a Ruby Crowned Kinglet

[Reciprocity]

In the woods at my house in Deep East Texas. It has the sweetest little song. I have lived her for almost six years and this is the first time I have seen it. The woods that surround my house are old (for around here about 100 years since it was cut) it is a oak/hickory/pine woods with lots of shrubs and bushes. We have many berry baring trees and shrubs.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets, slightly larger than a Hummingbird, play a major role in protecting trees from insects. They have the agility of flycatchers, catching insects on the wing. They also have the ability to creep up and down the tree trunk picking out the smallest of insects, eggs, and larvae that larger birds may miss. They male exposes his bright red cap during the breeding season to attract a mate or as a sign of aggression. Ruby-crowns breed in northern New England and Canada and may winter as far south as Central America.

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. Beautiful Bird! I love the eyes!

I was just watching a cardinal in our back yard. A blaze of red with all the white. :hi:

[Reciprocity]

2. The red on the head was what caught my eye.

From what I've been reading they only winter here.


I've been on the lookout for the Cedar Waxwings who show up this time of year and eat all the berries on my only Holly Tree. They can strip berries off in no time flat.

[carpetbagger]

8. You've probably had them around a lot, just didn't notice.

It's pretty uncommon to see the crown. But I bet now that you know what the bird looks like, you'll see it all the time.

[bertha katzenengel]

3. WOW! Thanks, Reciprocity. It's a beautiful bird -- lucky you!

Here is a robin I shot a few days ago. We get uncommon birds here, too, but I think the common ones are just as beautiful.

[Reciprocity]

7. I love Robins they usually show ...

up here in moderately large flocks right before winter is through.

[Straight Shooter]

4. That kinglet is a very sweet-looking thing. Thanks for sharing! n/t

[XemaSab]

5. Awesome!

They're really fun. The song is reminiscent of Gollum in LOTR.... interspersed high wheedles and low mutterings.

If you wear a hat or other clothing with a spot of red, they'll flash their red crowns at you!

Thanks for sharing your birds with us! :D

[Reciprocity]

6. Thank you for sharing as well.

We have made very narrow trails through the woods that I walk almost everyday. I have gotten used to most of the sounds I hear in the woods at least enough to recognize when I hear a new one. Their song was so sweet sounding that I stopped in my tracks to see who was making it. Then I saw the flash of red and I knew right away this was something I had not seen before. My first thought was it was some kind of finch. We have lots of finches this time of year. I have about eight bird books so as I was flipping through one of them there they were. I get so excited when I see a new bird to add to the list of birds I have been making a check list of and this is the first new one in a long time.

[Kat45]

9. Awwww! What a cute little bird!

:-)

[Reciprocity]

10. I took a look at my list and the last new bird was a..

Rose-breasted Grosbeak back in 2003. Like the others on this thread he was just passing through.