A week ago this little bird agreed to model for me and my camera. It and many of its friends know me well, waiting to hear me calling as I set out meal worms and sunflower seed hulls for them. And they come right away for their meals. This, a Chickadee (Poecile).

These Chickadees, that weigh less than half an ounce, make me think of ping pong balls covered with feathers, complete with a feathery tail, two little feet and a beak.

I’m only listing this bird as a Chickadee (Poecile), without going further, not listing its specific species. In North America, there are seven Chickadee species that regularly occur on the continent, and two of those species, the Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis), and the Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) both live in my area, and also interbreed making it extremely difficult for me to know exactly what species one or the other is.

Whichever they might be, I love having them around. They are extremely friendly birds, making me feel quite welcome in their world of nature.

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