Interesting about the shells! I'm sure I've seen shells in open places before too. I have at least 4 breeding pairs of goldfinches visiting the nyjer feeder now. I've seen 6 at once of which 4 were males, and 4 females together at a different time so who knows how many are around. I found a pair of Grey Catbirds in my cedar this morning. They looked like they were building a nest, although I doubt it would be in my cedar because it's pretty big and open.

Wow I would love some Yvonne's Salvia, too. I have seen photos of it, and it is gorgeous. Does it reseed? I know it's not root hardy here. I am planning on planting several new Salvias next year, e.g., S. regla, S. darcyi, S. microphylla 'Red Velvet', S. miniata, and a couple others, for the hummers and the Cloudless Sulphurs that love red flowers. They are big enough butterflies to get nectar from Salvias. It is good to know the birds will benefit, too. I plan to order 2 or 3 from Steve Owen at Bustani Plant Farm, and a few from Rich Dufresne at A World of Salvias. He has a website but if you e-mail him you can get an updated availability list and he is great at answering questions. Dawn, Cardinals are notorious window whackers! At my doctor's office, there is a glassed-in area and while I wait for my appointment the Cardinals are constantly hitting the glass. I don't know how they survive the trauma! I have actual, live cats who love to sit in my big living room window, so I haven't had any problems with birds there for sure. Our new baby, Cuddles, a black and white medium hair cat with gorgeous markings (our rescue from the Animal Shelter, as all of them are) really loves to watch the birds in that window. Since it is new to him, the other cats have had to take a back seat to his "window shopping" - "I'll take that one.....and that one....and that one". I love my 4 boys! But, they are strictly indoor cats, so we have a "no catchey birdy" policy. You guys, yesterday a hawk or something very, very large flew over and perched on the top of a telephone pole. It was still around in the late afternoon. The wing span must be at least 4 feet! I am surprised to see it in the city! Susan

Stunning pictures as usual!!

I guess it could be possible. However, Golden-crowned Sparrows (and White-crowneds) molt in their adult plumage following their first winter...so you shouldn't see any birds now in juvenile plumage. Also, immature Golden-crowned Sparrows still have a yellowish crown, though not nearly as bright as an adult. There have been a few birds photographed in the NW that have been suspected hybrids between Golden and White-crowned Sparrows...this could explain what you are seeing as well. Perhaps they are hybrids? BN