Morning birds

Today I was able to pay attention in the morning when the birds were most active.  The downy woodpecker still seemed to prefer seeds to suet.  The mockingbird was still thirsty.  There was some blurry activity on the wild cherry that turned out to be a yellow bellied sapsucker.  Squirrels were making love in the creek-side dogwood.  Twigs gave them some privacy from the paparazzi.  A pine warbler wanted barkbutter balls and suet.  He then retreated to the pine and hid in the needles.  

The rusty squirrel showed up but was chased away by one of the more gray-colored squirrels.  Since they were both males, I suspect that had something to do with the prior lovemaking.  A Carolina wren investigated the barkbutter balls, then a bluebird did the same.  A bird I didn't recognize landed on the grill.  Unfortunately there was a window screen in the way, but it had a gray head and back and a white throat and belly and was shaped like a robin.  My guess was Eastern kingbird, but I couldn't see a white edge to the tail and anyway they should have migrated by now.  iNaturalist suggested Eastern phoebe instead.  That makes more sense for this time of year.

Clouds formed and dissipated during the morning, at one point looking like wrinkles or a fingerprint.  An egret hunted along the bulkhead as mallards paddled past.  A pair of brown headed nuthatches wanted food and drink.  A bright yellow pine warbler tried to fool me into thinking he was something new.  But then an orange crowned warbler peered in the window at me.  After lunch I decided to get some work done and, anyway, the sky clouded over.