Eater Birds

Last post was The Eater Bunny, this one is The Eater Bird.  And see! He's all decked out in his Easter-egg yellow plumage. (Just a few patches of winter dun remain.)  The point is, he's regained a place at the feeder at last.  We had such a passel of siskins this winter, they chased the goldfinches away.  I've read that this winter brought unprecedented numbers of siskins to the whole Northeast, not just to my birdfeeders.  And now they seem to be gone.  Or going.  We still get one or two now and then.  But what a treat to see that gorgeous bright yellow goldfinch again!  I'm sure they'll be taking off for the countryside soon (we don't see that many in the city in the summer), so I'll enjoy their sunny presence while I can.  I was about to rake up all the dead aster stems at the edge of my yard, but I noticed the finches and chickadees flitting about in that mess, so there must be seeds left on the stems. I'll leave them alone for now.

Another "eater" bird is back, and this one not so pretty.  At least, up close.  Riding the air high over the river, they look pretty glorious soaring up there, huge wings held out in a vee, two, three, four or more, sailing in circles.  Their arrival's a sure sign of spring.  But as with that other spring omen skunk cabbage, no sweet songs or poems are composed for turkey vultures. But I'm glad to see them again.  At least, from a distance.