When I first sighted this cute little bird last week, I tried and failed to identify it. I had been standing near the bluffs above Lake Natoma and didn’t get a very good photo as it darted about in the branches, but I did note the small size, overall gray coloring, forked tail, and what looked like a pointed crest on the bird’s head.

So I was really pleased when one of these little gray birds showed up the other day in my front yard, perched in the sweetgum tree. Thanks to Google, with confirmation from the Cornell Lab’s website, I finally had my ID: the Oak Titmouse.