Spring tends to be a season of transition, and that’s particularly true in the bird world. Migratory birds traditionally leave their winter grounds to head north into their breeding territories each spring, and that results in a transition between the winter populations and summer populations. Already, the oven birds and most of the winter warblers are gone. In their places, hummingbirds and flycatchers are returning. The chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina) are still here for the time being, but their numbers are decreasing as more and more of them head north. I felt fortunate to see this one still hanging around in my garden area at the beginning of the week. It was perched on a low branch eying an insect down in the leaf litter. Eventually, it did hop down and grab something, but it left with the prize, so I didn’t what it was.