Oregon Dark Eyed Junco

I'm sure my friend Anne, who lives in Oregon and is  more expert at identifying birds than I, will let me know if I identified this bird incorrectly. They're very common here but are usually on the ground. There were at least two in the bushes awaiting their turn at the feeder while I watched with my camera poised. I love the pale pink feathers behind the black hood.

It was the 'little bird hour' and the shrubbery was alive with dozens of birds  flying around in almost constant motion . I always think of Brownian movement when I watch them, although they are clearly not suspended in liquid. It's as if there is some birdie air traffic control tower directing them for they never run into each other. They do, however, fly into the windows with some regularity, so I can't quite figure out what they are relying on for their directional signals, and why the windows interfere with the signals. I've read lots of studies about how migrating birds navigate over long distances, but there is isn't much information about how they avoid each other in closer quarters.

These little characters not only flew up to the feeder, but stayed there for long enough for me to get a few pictures.I've participated in a backyard bird count once where I was supposed to count as many birds as I could in a single half hour period. But they way they flit around, I couldn't tell if I was counting multiple birds or the same bird multiple times...

In spite of all the constant motion, there is still something relaxing about simply sitting and watching them....