Early last week I spotted the first oven bird (Seiurus aurocapilla) in the scrub in my back garden. It didn’t stay long, though, so I guess it was heading further south. But this weekend I saw two more out in the front yard. I’m not sure if these two will stay, either, but I’d be surprised if none of them ever stay. For the past few years I’ve had oven birds that have made my woods their winter homes, and I have enjoyed them tremendously. They tend to be shy and stick to the underbrush at first, but it doesn’t take long before they start coming out to grab mealworms. They’re one of my favorite winter birds, not because of how they look, (and they are very pretty), but because of their personalities. Once they decide they are staying they seem to be peaceful little birds that tend to get along well with each other and with the other species who live here. They also seem not to be terribly put out if Poppa or one of the blue jays bullies them a bit. They just retreat to the brush and wait for the bully to go away. It’s too bad more people can’t act like oven birds!