Passer domesticus

Today was warm (near 70F, 21C) -- and sunny and everyone in the neighborhood was out tending their yards (including us) and the kids were playing. All this activity keeps the birds away, with the exception of the House Sparrows, Collared Doves, American Goldfinches and House Finches. I only got a couple of photos worth keeping today, including this one of one of our resident House Sparrows.

Very early in the morning, before it was light enough to take pictures, I saw and heard a Brewer's Blackbird -- a sure sign of spring.

Note added 4/20/2010: What I heard turns out to have been a Common Grackle, a bird that until this year I had never noticed in our area. See the picture posted tomorrow.