Little Ray of Sunshine

(Yellow-headed Blackbird)

“A little ray of sunshine, a little bit of soul . . . ..”

You Baby
The Mamas and the Papa’s
1966

The Mamas and the Papas certainly weren’t singing about blackbirds back in the sixties. Nevertheless, when I see the bright yellow heads of these birds among a flock of assorted black migrants, that tune comes delightfully to mind, the sight making me as happy as the song always did.

On drives from St. Louis through Kansas and into Colorado, I’d watch every gathering of blackbirds in trees, along phone wires, or perched on fence rows, hoping against hope to glimpse this bird, which eluded me for years. Perhaps, I saw one or two, I’m not sure after all these years. But it wasn’t until we ended up birding in the Klamath Basin of Oregon that the Yellow-headed Blackbird appeared by the dozens, even hundreds. What a sight: a whole lot of sunshine!

🎶 “The greatest thing since rock ‘n roll.”