Week 22: "Seasonal" Visitors

First off, we have the UGLIEST bush in our front yard. It was once probably a well-behaved miniature Alberta Spruce, perfectly conical and nicely trimmed. Now it's overgrown to the nth degree and in places it has started to genetically revert to its larger (and less-containable) form, leaving large unsightly gaps. Now. I would like nothing more than to be rid of this monstrosity, but for the fact that every year we have these GORGEOUSLY colorful birds visit. And they LOVE that ugly bush! The Western Tanager looks like something straight out of the tropics; which is a pretty rare thing here in the Rocky Mountains. I look forward to their visit every year. (And, in case you are wondering, a group of Western Tanagers is apparently called a "season". Hence, the clever play on words for the title. Yuck, yuck.)

I apologize for the low photo-quality... this was taken through our very dirty window. :? At least it gives you a small impression of the beautiful color!