Eastern Towhee

One of the good things about Winter - and believe me I try to remember that there are some good things - is that I get to fairly regularly see this guy. I know they're here year round, but it's only in the Winter that they come and help themselves to the bird seed I offer. The rest of the year I just hear them saying "drink your tea!!!" This is the male. His lady is more all over brown - she's very pretty. I don't see her nearly as often as I see him.

Years ago, when I first spotted one here, before I was really *into* birds, but nonetheless kept a list of birds I'd seen in my yard, he was called "rufous-sided towhee." Now it's just "Eastern." Oh my - I just looked it up in the list - which is in the back of my Peterson's field guide - it was the winter of 1999 when I first saw him. Well, there you are! Nearly 20 years ago.