Christmas Stitching Continues & Back to Birds

Design - "Yule: Winter Solstice"

Designer - The Primitive Hare

Fabric - 32 count Lambswool linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 23 December 2014

Completed - 28 December 2014

Isobel Argante has been beyond generous this year with the series of free patterns she released.  I've stitched four of them, there are three others in the series - maybe next year!

I've had a Sharp-shinned Hawk lurking in the trees most days.

It rather puts paid to my bird watching until it leaves.

But on a rainy afternoon early last week, the hawk decided to hang out on the edge of the back patio.

It isn't a very big hawk - somewhere between 10"-12" tall. 

It thus preys on my smallest of birds - like the juncos, chickadees, and finches.

The starlings and the jays often mob the bird and are usually successful at driving it away. 

I think there are probably two or three of these small hawks that take turns hunting here. If you 'inbiggen' this photo you can see the raindrops beaded on the feathers. 

Tom-Cat was outside under the eaves in a cat-tube, but he didn't appear interested, which suprized me.

There is something about the eyes of a raptor, don't you think?  Such a fierce intelligence.

The hawk then flew down to our Big Woodpile where he met up with a Gray Squirrel. The poor squirrel, though larger than the hawk, froze in a panic - not wanting to turn his back on the bird to scurry away.  I walked down and drove off the hawk so the squirrel could seek safety.