Bouncing Around

I said I would, and I did. Kit up and begin another snowman, that is.

I've chosen to begin work on Heart in Hand's "Snow Joe" from the Just Cross Stitch 2000 Special Christmas Issue. Last night I stitched the hat and started the face. 

There have been too many hawks around lately. 

While I do not mind the larger hawks, like this one - maybe a Red-tailed Hawk, the smaller Sharp-shinned Hawks are having a big impact on the number of birds I have at the feeders.  Yesterday one got a chickadee at the front feeders - the poor thing flew into the dining room window trying to escape, to no avail.

Speaking of lovely feather patterns, the polka dots and stripes of a Flicker are pretty awesome.

Note how she is using her strong tail feathers to balance at the suet feeder.

And again they provide balance at this feeder as well. Even wearing gray, tan, and black, a girl is pretty in stripes and polka dots.

This female Acorn Woodpecker is also using tail feathers to balance.  It's a woodpecker trick!

I continue to hear and see a male Hairy Woodpecker. The bird lands in the top of nearby trees, but thus far has not been active at the suet feeders.