Yellow Birds, a Kingfisher, and Hummingbirds

It may be cool weather for the time of year, annoying would-be sunbathers, but it's ideal for plant and  animal life.

Early in the spring, an online friend and I particularly noticed a lot of yellow birds. My friend lives in Boulder, Colorado, while I live in Vancouver, BC. It seemed to me I had not seen these types of small yellow birds before.

Yesterday, I had another unusual birdwatching experience. I saw one of my favourite birds, the kingfisher, quite close up. Normally, I just watch, astonished as they hover and aim their large heads at prey fish in the water below, wings paddling the air so quickly. But this time, I was sitting on a park bench in one of the overlooks on the cliff top south of English Bay, and a kingfisher flew up and landed on the wire fence directly in front of me. It didn't stay long, but I had never seen one of them perched.  The feathers around its eyes look painted on with a wide brush, generously loaded with white paint. Naturally it fled on seeing me. 

Blackberry Bushes in Bloom Near English Bay

  Today, I went to another overlook at the cliff where there are many cement stairs down to a small beach. An extensive blackberry bush is growing beyond the wire fence at the top of the cliff and down its face beside the long, strong metal railing attached to the cement stairs. Pink, cup-shaped blossoms were out in full force. Bumble bees were humming, visiting each flower. As has sometimes happened, I saw what I took to be a larger insect buzzing about the flowers, but I didn't identify it. Moments later, I saw that it was a hummingbird drinking from flower after flower. I stayed because it's not often I get to see this one of my favourite birds  going about its business. Then, a second hummingbird, of the same type as the first, a Rufus, I think, came even closer to me--within two feet--drinking nectar and even reaching out with its tiny black feet to try out the flexible vine of a morning glory in bud. The feathers were muted, glistening rust and olive, their scalloped edges fringed with lines of finest gold. The dark wings cut the air in a half-visible arabesque. The bird did not seem to know I was there, though it may have been the notice of me--one movement of my arm--that the nearer one saw from the corner of its eye which resulted in their instant disappearance. The robins, sparrows, and thrushes looked huge after watching the hummingbirds!

Is bird and plant life thriving a bit better this year due to the longer-term cooler temperatures? I wouldn't want to try to prove it, in the case of birds, but to me, and perhaps, to my friend in the US, this seems to be the case.