Every spring I feel like the antithesis of "Goodnight Moon" as I individually remark on and greet each new leaf, bud, and bloom. Each fall I find myself bidding each adieu. This little ditty popped into my head as I walked around the garden today... In a great green garden There was a hammock And balloon flowers And a woman- Who lolled out back for hours And there were three little roses and a pile of hoses And two little gayfeather Who liked only fair weather And a little bird nest Filled with Robin Red Breast And a hoe and a spade and other tools mislaid And a giddy old lady sipping lemonade Goodbye green Goodbye beans Goodbye to my summer routine Goodbye warmth And the blooms you bring forth Goodbye roses Goodbye hoses Goodbye gayfeather And goodbye fair weather Goodbye bees And goodbye leaves Goodbye birdÂs nest And goodbye Robin Red Breast Goodbye hoe And goodbye spade Goodbye to all the tools mislaid And goodbye to the giddy old galÂs lemonade Goodbye herbs Goodbye hummingbirds Goodbye summer everywhere.

Dawn, We had a painted bunting that came to our feeder in Lone Grove. The first time I saw it, I thought it was a pet that had gotten away from someone. The colors looked like a parrot but of course it is much smaller than that. He continued to come to the feeder all summer and I think he returned the following year also. I only fed regular bird seed but there was a bird bath next to it and I think the water was the attraction because the birds didn't have a natural source of water anywhere near. I don't think they are listed as coming into Oklahoma either. Susan - If we hang a thistle feeder here in the spring, we have dozens of American Gold Finch. They are cute little birds. I never see a blue bird here, but I live in a lot of trees and I think they like wide open spaces best. A couple of years ago I could hear something banging on the house. At first I thought it was a woodpecker because they will peck holes in your house and they really love my neighbors cedar siding. I followed the sound to the other side of my house and it became extremely loud. I went outside to look around and it stopped. Later it started again, and I went outside again. After several days of this, I was outside and I heard it start. It was a big black bird sitting on top of the chimmney. Our chimmney has a metal cover that is solid on top and has mesh on the sides. He was sitting on top and banging his beak against the metal. I guess the noise was really bouncing around in that chimney because inside it sounded like someone hitting the house with a basketball -- repeatedly. After about a week, he moved on.

It sure does look like the one you have Konrad. I am used to seeing only the Slate colored ones. But checking out Juncos I see that there are many color variations. Nice pictures.I have had Juncos around all winter. ( slate colored) so was surprised to see these.

Last year I had this bird come to visit. I looked it up in my book andI thought it was a Black Crowned Night Heron. I was later told it looked more like a Green Heron. There are pics of both in my book and I though that the Green Heron had a different shaped head and lighter color. I would like to hear your opinion. Here's the pics. In the forst one he was right outside the kitchen window. In this one he? is standing on the window sill. Thanks for any help. Marg