Yep, I am going to see if I can sneak in one more Christmas themed stitch before the month ends!
I am finally getting around to sharing some photos from last week.
For several mornings I've heard and watched skeins of geese fly overhead.
I have a theory that they move back and forth between Fern Ridge Reservoir and the Finley Wildlife Refuge 60 miles to the north.
I continue to have a nice group of Pine Siskins at the backyard feeders most days.
My poor little group of California Quail only numbers seven.
I have a theory about that as well. On December 23rd at 3:10pm as I was baking for the holidays, I happened to look out the kitchen window and watched as a large adult Bob-cat strolled along the edge of our backyard - right where this bunny and quail were! Of course I did not have my camera handy, and by the time I'd ascertained that Tom-Cat, Padma, and Parvati were all okay (yes they were outside in snuggled up in tubes on chairs watching), the Bob-cat had moved on.
Too many Bob-Cats makes for too few Quail.
I was amused to watch this White-breasted Nuthatch last week.
As best I could tell the bird was raiding the Acorn Woodpecker's peanut stash in the dead top of a Big Leaf Maple.
These birds always make me smile. They have a funny distinctive call (typical voice) and as they walk about the trees they strike amusing poses. Notice the nice lines of round holes below the bird - that's the work of my Sapsuckers.
I have a couple of Flickers at the suet feeders most days. On Christmas Day during dinner a male Hairy Woodpecker came to visit. I got pretty excited about that much to the amusement of the other dinner guests, and again, no camera!
The Lane County Audubon Society spent most of Sunday tallying birds as part of the annual Christmas Bird Count. They were extremely pleased to find a group of Acorn Woodpeckers.
While I don't have eleven birds like the group near Fern Ridge; I do have:
One, two...
three...
four, and five birds! And I think there are six total - three guys and three gals.
The most unusual birds this week so far are my Turkey Vultures!
A very few stick around, but most should be in South America by now. I had a group of five or six fly overhead.
13 comments:
I'll be cheering you on for a quick finish to round off the year. I love the Acorn Woodpeckers.
We are still not having a lot of luck catching anyone in our back but the foods are going so 'someone' is eating them!
Good for you on trying to get in one more Christmassy project in. I am going to try to finish one more book before the end of 2014. I enjoyed the bird pics again.
My Turkey Vultures are still hanging out here :)
Love your bird photos as usual and it isn't over until the fat lady sings...I'm warming up my pipes :))
Beth, thank you for sharing your wonderful wildlife pictures throughout this year. I have very much enjoyed them. Your stitching as well:) Have a happy and healthy New Year!
Have loved your photos again this year.
Wishing you a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year.
Turkey vultures! I read an article about them a while back and they are fascinating animals. Very intelligent.
Love your blog. :)
A great catch up post full of a wide variety of birds and animals. I feel badly for the quail though -- that bobcat. Yikes!
Beth,
Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
Your blog is always a pleasure to read. And your photos amazing. And your needle is always flying through a project or two, keep up the good work.
If the turkey vultures feel our cold, they will wish they had gone South. It is sad to think about the pretty quails but as my wise old dad would have said, That's nature!"
I'm sure you can finish this little Christmas stitch before midnight today.
WE also saw soem nuthatches in our garden for the first time last fall. When I heard the hammering on the tree I first thought of a woodpecker but then I saw a nuthatch running down the tree.
Have a great start of 2015!
Beth, I have so enjoyed your stitching & fabulous pictures of wildlife and birds all of which are my passion as well! Good luck getting your last stitch finished. Wishing 2015 brings you peace & joy and much time for stitching, many blessings.....
Your nature pics always make me happy Beth~ I have a quick Christmas stitch set aside for today/tomorrow~~ I just can't seem to put them down either...Happy New year and many blessings in 2015 ~!
You have probably finished the project you started by now... sort of behind again! Another holiday interrruption... Love seeing the birds, as always. I have learned so much about recognizing different birds from you... I appreciate it! Happy 2015!
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