Spring - time for birds and bees

This past two days, I have been attending the OCIB symposium at Carleton University.  On my way home, I walked through the Fletcher Wildlife Garden and Arboretum to enjoy the beautiful spring weather.  I saw many birds yesterday but I did not bring a binocular or a camera to identify the birds properly.  Today, I brought my camera and it was definitely more satisfying when I can identify the birds.

Yesterday, my girlfriend and I saw many skinny small birds fluttering from branch to branch that we could not identify.  Today, with my camera, I realized they were probably Blue-headed Vireos (Vireo solitarius) which I have not seen before!

Another look at this beautiful vireo with its wide white spectacles.

The vireo flew to a hawthorn tree where a Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) caught my attention.

On the same tree was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula).  I believe this kinglet may have been building a nest in the tree because two blackbirds appraoched the tree and forced the kinglet to temporarily move to another tree.

The kinglet stayed in this tree for quite a while and kept looking at the hawthorn tree.

So fluffy!

A male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) in the Arboretum.

Then I saw many Cellophane bees (Colletes sp.) flying low to the ground with the males trying to locate and mate with a female.

A bee with pollen all over its body.

I love springtime!