Kingfisher

I was so delighted early this morning to see a young kingfisher on one of the patio rain gutters.  He was cute, and while quite capable of flying was still somewhat hesitant on take offs and landings.  I had hoped to get a photograph of him, but he was having none of that.  This is the first kingfisher I've seen since we've lived here.  I hope he won't be the last.

I think the birds have eaten every last sunflower seed out of my many sunflower plants.  I am going to pull them up tomorrow.  I am going to miss especially the goldfinches.  When we first moved to Arizona I planted sunflowers with the idea of harvesting the seeds for us to eat during the winter months,  both as snacks and to add to main dishes.  I learned before some of the sunflowers had been open for more than a week,  not one seed anywhere close to maturity that birds love them from very immature to mature, although not many make it to full maturity.  Now I just plant them for the birds.  If we need seeds to snack on I buy them at the store.