Beautiful Birds

Design - "Little Birds Calendar - Blue Tit - April"

Designer - The Little Stitcher

Fabric - 32 count Vintage Country Mocha linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 22 April 2018

Completed - 26 April 2018

This was a fun stitch - much more colorful bird than the first three month's. I discovered as I was looking through photos of my trip to England the summer of 2013 that I'd seen and photographed all the birds in this series.  So below please see my photos of a Blue Tit.  And here are the links to see my photos of the Chaffinch, European Robin, and Coal Tit.

This bird was in an Empress Tree in the Chelsea Physic Garden.

They are acrobatic birds.

Some beautiful birds have returned to Oregon in April.

I include the Violet-green Swallows as beautiful birds.

But no bird in Oregon is prettier than an male Western Tanager. 

Friday afternoon I was stunned to see one at the edge of the backyard.

Usually my first sighting of this summer migrant is around Mother's Day.

So this guy showed up a couple of weeks earlier than usual.

He was great - posed for me on three different bushes.

Several times I thought he might take the short flight to investigate my feeders.

But he never did.

He was a wonderful feathered gift to make the day extra-special.

Sunday's Hummers

I never know what I will have to share week by week.

This week the male Rufous hummer was all about courtship displays and defending territory.

I think the male Anna's 'work' is done and he is mellow and comes to the feeders regularly.

The female Anna's are raising young (I think) and they are infrequent at the feeders.

I did manage a couple of captures of this female on 2 different occasions.

The stripping on her throat is pretty distinctive.

Two years ago I had a migrating Costa's Hummingbird for a couple of days, so I'm on the lookout!

And so is he!

Saturday's Critters

 I have quite the collection of critter photos to share today.

Chipmunk hanging out with the California Quail.

Perched on high (on a decorative bird house).

On the big woodpile.

On the back patio - there were five - yes five chippies scurrying around Friday afternoon.

You are much safer on the woodpile...

...but no one listens to me...

...Including Douglas Squirrel who is staring at me and Parvati.

Get a move on guy!  Par maybe almost 17, but she could still take you down!

And you too Gray Guy.

I don't find this the least bit amusing!

I have at least two bunnies.  The notch in the left ear makes this one easy to recognize.

This one has perfect ears.

The deer come by occasionally.

They basically ignore me.

And yes, though I featured the bear on Friday, here are a couple more photos. This one could be captioned "Food Orgy Bliss".

Schnoz in the bird feeder vacuuming sunflower seeds.

Flash News Friday

I've finished up all four of the Little Stitcher's Calendar birds, so I think I'll work on a couple more of Heartstring Samplery's birds - the finches are up next I'm thinking.

I had a post all ready for Friday, but then at 3:57pm on Thursday afternoon...

...a motion outside caught my eye - I looked up and out the family room door to see this! 

This healthy, glossy bear had pulled over the red shepherd's hook and was gorging on peanuts and sunflower chips.  

Yummy.

He/she paid me no mind when I stepped out on the back patio for a closer look.

Yes, I'm watching you bear.

You can see the bear is not wanting for calories - a handsome profile shot.

It looks like he is growling here, but he never made a sound. 

One last look before he trotted off.

I guess I'm going to have to turn on the motion-detector water sprinkler during the day as well as the night.

My Finish and My Jays

Design - "Little Birds Calendar - Coal Tit - Janaury" 

Designer - The Little Stitcher

Fabric - 32 count Vintage Country Mocha linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 18 April 2018

Completed - 21 April 2018

Hah!  I thought that I'd seen a Coal Tit while in England in 2013.

This photo as taken in August at the Chelsea Physics Garden.

I think this is a perfect January stitch - it is quietly beautiful in a very muted pallet. The European Coal Tit very much resembles our Black-capped Chickadee.  I assume it is also a welcome winter visitor.

Lots of folks find Jays too loud and brash and do not enjoy their visits to bird feeders.

I like my Jays - they have big personalities.  Here a California Scrub Jay and a Steller's Jay decide that there is enough food for both to share.

You can just see this jay puzzling out how best to eat as much as possible as quickly as possible.

I have 3-4 Scrub Jays in the area. 

They are loudest of my jays.

Earlier this year I received this Scrub Jay tile as a gift. The artist's designs are very true to the birds she creates. 

Sometimes I have as many as 8-12 Steller's Jays.

They are a wonderful deep true blue and then there is that crest on their head.

And when they get agitated! Goodness gracious!

SQWACK!

You go bird! Tell it like it is.