Monday, September 8, 2014

Cat Stitching Update and September Birds

These are the two charts that won the toss.  I've almost finished the Heart in Hand stitch on the top.

Tom-Cat approves my September stitching theme.

This weekend was hot - in the 90s. 
Look at the dirty smoky sky in this photo. 
The smoke is from a forest fire about 40 miles to the south of here.  The smoke was so bad Sunday morning that I did not let the cats stay outside for more than a couple of hours.  Fortunately the air quality improved as the day wore on.  We are surrounded by forest fires - to north, the east, and the south. We are to have milder temperatures for the next three days and that should help, but then we leap back up into the 90s once again. 

Let's take a look at the birds still around in early September.  

I had a couple of White-breast Nuthatches working away on a large Douglas Fir on Sunday.

The covey of 25 California Quail strolls by a couple of times each day.

While the Rufous Hummingbirds are gone, I've counted at least three Anna's Hummingbirds. 

I may have more than that as I don't remember seeing a male like this one during my count.

Most of the Black-headed Evening Grosbeaks are gone, but a few youngsters still linger.

The Jays are plentiful.  Both the Steller's Jays and the Scrub Jays like this one.  He managed to find a Hazelnut.

The Acorn Woodpeckers are busy busy busy.

I counted Sunday evening, and I think I counted five birds!

I'll end today's post with an especially lovely photo of a young male Orange-shafted Flicker. I am thankful these are All Year Around birds!

6 comments:

Melody said...

What a great group of birds! You will have to share a pic of your stitching.

Wanda said...

Beth, what a great stitching theme for September! I just drool over your pictures of acorn woodpeckers and flickers! I enjoy seeing the quail and how they have grown! I never did get any hummingbirds this summer but will try again next year.

Margaret said...

Wow! You all are having way too warm temps! And fires too -- yuck. Love the birds though. And love your new stitching projects!

Barb said...

The flicker photo is beautiful. Loved seeing all your feathered friends and of course the cat. I am so sick of the heat!!! I am thankful we don't have the fires but our weatherman said at least 4 more high 80's coming! Sat. was nasty here!

Andrea said...

I don't think I would like the threat of forest fires. Beautiful photos and some wonderful stitching going on.

di said...

hi, I enjoy your blog. Your work is beautiful and like the nature inspired pictures. I am fed up with hoops to hold my projects while working on them & noticed your frame in one of your photos. Could you recommend any one special type or brand ? thanks