Happy Halloween!

Design - "Hoot"

Chart - "Autumn Smalls"

Designer - Lizzie Kate

Fabric - 32 count Natural Light linen

Fibers - WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 24 October 2017

Completed - 26 October 2017

I've one last finish to share with you at month's end! Hoot!

Here are a couple of Halloween Birds.

We hear a juvenile Great Horned Owl several evenings each week, certainly he fits the bill as a Halloween Bird. While we generally do not see the bird, we do see other raptors like this this Cooper's Hawk.

The California Scrub Jays qualify as Halloween Birds given their wide array of squawks and noisy chatter.

Here's a small Masked Bandit!

In his Halloween costume - it's a Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Winter plumage can be a disguise - hard to recognize a female American Goldfinch. 

Here's a female and male.  I only have 3 or 4 birds - most have moved on.

Thank goodness the Pine Siskins have come to replace the Goldfinches.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Sneaking in Another Stitch

Yep, I've started yet another Octoberish stitch.

This is "Autumn" from the "4 Seasons" series by Lizzie Kate.

Last Tuesday was my final sighting of the small flock of Evening Grosbeaks.

I sure enjoyed having these birds around for a few days.  Maybe they will show up again in December - stay tuned!

While I was eating breakfast Sunday morning, I looked out to see three Acorn Woodpeckers at this feeder - a feeder they've ignored up to now.

That's a BIG bite Mr. Acorn!

My sister pointed out that this quail was limping / hopping as he walked.  The left leg looks very odd like it branches. 

What does the jury think?

"We the jury are pestering this bird".  

The other males were playing dominance games with the injured bird.

I hadn't seen a Mourning Dove in a couple of weeks - maybe too many Cooper's Hawks around too much of the time.

My Anna's Hummingbirds continue to entertain and delight.

Along the west coast from southern Alaska through California, these normally migratory birds have become Winter Regulars. I maintain my feeders all winter long bringing them in at night during sub-freezing temperatures and rotating them during the day during cold weather.

Sunday Hums and Chatters

Someone woke up in a mad mood!

Feathers are a bit ruffled.

Calm...

...not so calm.

This is the adult male Anna's.

He too has something to say.

So say it!

A humming blur.

A young male...

He's guarding a couple of feeders.

This one is already occupied.

Grooming...

Enough with that feather already!

Fluff and we're done!

Now for a drink.

Running Behind

Rise and shine!  It's going to be a great day!

Breakfast is served.

Is that a cat I spy?

David (or Douglas) is out and about...

...and so are the deer.

Ears forward...

Ears back.

We've had some buck action too...

Here's a young one.

Not impressed!

Here's an older, bigger buck.

What a handsome boy you are!

Friday Framed Finish

Design - "Mourning Dove"

Chart - "The Bird Collection - Part I"

Designer - Heartstring Samplery

Fabric - 32 count Picture This Plus Wren linen

Fibers - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 31 May 2016

Completed - 15 August 2015

This is the 2nd piece I got framed this year.

I envision displaying several birds from this series on the same wall space.

If I ever get it figured out, I'll share with you.

And with you two as well! 

I was very surprised to see a Turkey Vulture a couple of days ago.  I'd thought they'd all left the area.  This must be a straggler.

I'm seeing smaller numbers of California Quail.  They've spread out, claiming their territory in smaller groups - I saw four in my sister's Dahlia Garden.

There is also a big shift in finches.  I still have a couple of Lesser Goldfinches (bird on the left.) The big change though is the number of American Goldfinches.  I've gone from over 30 birds to just one or two (the bird on the right.)

Now the feeders are swarming with Pine Siskin.

I have seen more than 30 birds at the feeders with one or two goldfinches mixed in.

I am pleased as they will stay all winter, and I will have busy active feeders to watch and enjoy.