Amorous Nuthatch

I love it when nuthatches show their romantic side. Listen to that lovely voice and that oh-so-smooth spread-tail strut. She's all a-quiver. How come she hits him?

In other unexpected romantic news, I spent some at Broadmoor watching a dark-eyed junco sing what ornithologists call its "short-range" song. Unlike the normal metallic trill (oh so troublesome when chipping sparrows and pine warblers are also around), the junco goes all goldfinchy, stringing together line after line of its call notes. I was quite blown away at this newly discovered talent. And now I'm hearing it all the time (you just have to get quite close to listen). In this recording there is a song sparrow in the background that interferes a little in trying to hear the pure junco song).