Take That!

Not much action yesterday.  One hummingbird has gone into super-guarding mode and was perched on the shepherd's hook all day.  If any other birds dared to come near, she summarily chased them away.

After one particularly rough scuffle, the bird returned with a feather in its beak!  Take that, interloper!

Nice wingspan photo:

I also captured a photo of an American Goldfinch perched in a nearby tree.  When our bluebirds are nesting, I avoid putting seed in the feeders because I don't want to attract house sparrows to disturb them, although I miss seeing the lovely goldfinches and house finches that used to frequent the feeder.  Later this fall, I will add seed again, and maybe this fellow will come back.

Speaking of bluebirds, I couldn't even identify this bird as a bluebird until the light caught the blue feathers.  The shape of the bird was not what I was accustomed to seeing. 

This photo made me long for early summer when the bluebird pair raised two broods in the backyard bluebird house.  Unfortunately, their third batch of eggs were laid in the scorching summer heat, and none were viable.  With the new camera, I'll be ready for them next summer and hope to get some baby photos!