Thursday, March 24, 2011

Birds and More Birds


Speaking of birds...I took my little Prairie Schooler project with me last night, and worked on it while waiting for an Oregon Basketball game to begin, during halftime, and during time-outs.  Its beginning to resemble a chicken! 

Monday was such a grey, rainy day I did not get outside until about 10:30am.  That turned out however, to be the perfect time for some bird-watching.

The California Quail roamed around the backyard.
But the Jewel in the Crown is just below...and illustrates that patience is its own reward. As I walked around to the house, I could hear a woodpecker working away.  Not talking mind you, just a "thud" then "thud" and another "thud" as he drilled holes into a tree.  The sound was loud enough in the morning quiet that I felt if I concentrated on listening in the direction of the sound, I would be rewarded with seeing the bird...  

And I was!
My Pileated Woodpecker friend was in a live Douglas Fir.
This photo is all about the strength of the zoom lens on my camera as I was easily 75 yards away from the bird.
If you enlarge either of the pictures you can see the holes he has already drilled on the front of the tree.

I also spied an Anna Hummingbird at the feeder. 

And when I circled back to the backyard, the Quail were long-gone.  Perhaps this Red Tailed Hawk is the reason why. Danger! Danger! 

3 comments:

Ann at Beadlework. said...

What a treat, seeing the woodpecker and having a hummingbird to visit. We don't have woodpeckers up here in Scotland but my sister who lives down south in England regularly has one visiting her garden.

Mouse said...

ooo lovely pictures of the birds feathered and none feathered .,lol .. what a lovely shot of the humming bird too :) love mouse xxxx

Linda said...

You share my love of watching the birds! We haven't had too many woodpeckers this year, but my tree guy says that's good, because they made so many holes in my apple tree! We get lots of hawks here too...they are so beautiful! I enjoyed all your photos! Where do you get your cross stitch patterns...do you order on-line...we have no good stores here and I have been looking for a good web site.