Dark-eyed juncos don't garner much attention from non-birders. They are just among those small songbirds that feed along roadways or beneath the shrubbery.
Common winter residents in most regions of the U.S., juncos are not prized inclusions on birding lists during those colder months. But their first appearance in autumn is always a treat, at least for this aging birder.
Having just arrived at our Littleton, Colorado, farm, I encountered the first small flock of the season, comprised of two subspecies (Oregon and slate-gray); the regional gray-headed juncos, which descend from the nearby mountains and foothills for the winter, should arrive any day now. By mid November, we'll have dozens of juncos on the farm and their presence will be taken for granted; then, come mid-April, when they head for cooler landscapes, they'll be missed once again. If only they knew.
