This morning while breaking up a cat fight in my yard I found
a small olive colored dead bird. I picked it up with two
sticks to move it to a suitable resting place. I looked
closely at the bill to see if it was a goldfinch but the
bill was toothpick thin. Also the body was very little but
had adult feathers. Then, first out of shock, I almost
dropped the little guy because when his head flipped back
I saw a flourescent red swatch of paint. In a split second
I tried to think of the incredible circumstances of a bird
flying through someone's painting project. Then common
sense set in, and I almost dropped the bird again, because
I decided I was really looking at a split skull and fresh
blood. With that final thought I put the bird
underneath a pine tree and went into the house to positively
identify him. I went straight for the Kinglet pages and
there was the bird: small body, thin long beak, olive
coloring, and a patch of red feathers on top of his head.
A Ruby-crowned kinglet. I went back outside to look
closer at the red feathers of the male kinglet since I
know they are difficult to see on a bird in the wild.
I am glad to have found this poor bird but wish I could
have identified him on the wing.

Arlene
Renton, WA