This morning I saw my first Ruby-crowned KInglets of the year at McMillan Marsh about 45 minutes south of my Wausau home. There was a little flock of them singing and chattering, some of them coming down to bushes along the path, ignoring me entirely. Every now and then one of them would excitedly raise his red crest and chatter even more vigorously, apparently at another kinglet that came too close. There were also a couple of Golden-crowned Kinglets that stayed higher in the trees. I spent about half an hour trying to get a photograph of the ever-moving Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Many many of my photos showed only branches, but finally one of the kinglets stayed near enough for long enough that I was able to get some pictures of it.
For many years, every time I have seen a Ruby-crowned Kinglet I have been suddenly reminded of a day long ago in North Carolina. After we moved to Raleigh in the late 70s, the heat and the ever-present numerous wood ticks mostly had kept me mostly indoors for weeks, maybe months. I had been a birder before the move, birding in the much cooler climates of Wisconsin, Alaska and Oregon, but now I just could not face the muggy frighteningly ticky out-of-doors. One day as I was taking trash out to our backyard garbage can, a sudden explosion of chattering came out of a sapling near the can. Just at eye level was an extremely tiny, extremely agitated bird, with the top of his head bright red. A beautiful little Ruby-crowned Kinglet. I was stunned. Why had I abandoned birding? Just because of heat and bugs? Really. There were too many birds waiting to be seen. I had to face it. I would face it. I would go back to birding! And I did! Since then I have never not been a birder. It is too much fun. There are too many remarkable little (and big) birds, and too many remarkable things to see them do. Thank you little Ruby-crowned Kinglet!
Lynn Barber's Birding Blog 