This and That

I am loving - repeat - loving "Button, Button"! It's fun, it's easy, it's pretty...the list goes on!

Now it's the 1st of September.  There have been lots of changes in the "Natural World" in the past 30 days or so.

As mentioned previously, the little Downy Woodpeckers have returned to the suet feeder and mullein.  Yesterday morning I saw two females.

Also making a return appearance - the larger Hairy Woodpeckers!  I hope this means that soon I'll hear and see a Pileated Woodpecker. The Steller Jays have returned too - I enjoy their squaking and arguments. 

Yesterday, this handsome fellow stopped by.

He has figured out how to eat the birdfood from the trays on the feeders - the Greedy Gus!

Bunnies still abound, but the Gray Squirrels remain AWOL.

I got a good shot of most of the 14 quail "large babies".  They are almost as big as their parents now. 

My feeder sightings are very different as Fall approaches.  The Evening Grosbeaks are gone, the Blackheaded Grosbeaks are no longer at the feeder, and the Band-tailed Pigeons have left.  The Goldfinches are still out in force, but no longer very yellow.  

As the males do not need their "Courting Colors" anymore, they're slowing loosing their cheery yellow for a more muted look.  I am seeing the return of some "winter birds" - chickadees and juncoes and nuthatches. 

This past week, we've had a "new bird" sighting.  My sister first saw it, then I've seen it several times since (never with a camera).  I started calling it the "Banana Bird" as it was quite yellow and much larger than the finches.  After consulting a couple of bird books, I've decided it is a female Western Tanager (click for a photo link and scroll down past the photo of the male).  She is quite a pretty bird - I think she's enjoying our blackberry bounty.

We've not seen many fawns this summer, but yesterday a doe strolled by with twins.  This is Fawn #1... 

...and here is Fawn #2.  Tom-Cat growled and went dashing down the sidewalk toward the fawns when he first saw them.  What on earth he thought he might do, I have no idea.  We refer to that kind of behavior and thought as having "Kitten Brains"!

Our skies have been so clear, we've not enjoyed many sunsets...

But Monday evening was perfect!

Nature can paint a perfect palette!

Here's to a few more sunsets before the gray skies move in!