A Few Birds Before the Holiday Weekend

Design - "Fly by Night"

Designer - Crazy Folk

Fabric - 28 count Light Exemplar Lakeside linen

Fibers - WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 1 April 2010

Completed - 10 May 2010

Did you know that many smaller birds migrate at night?  The winds are often lighter and there are fewer predators to contend with. They then eat and rest during the day which is why spring and fall migration are great times to see tanagers and warblers. 

Right now I have American Goldfinches.

A female Western Tanager.

The backside of a warbler - probably a Wilson's Warbler. 

The first sighting in a couple of months of a Pine Siskin.

This may portend their presence this winter.

A young White-crowned Sparrow.

Papa California Quail.

A young Steller's Jay.

Two of 'em!

First Time This Summer

Design - "Red-winged Blackbird"

Designer - Bent Creek"

Fabric - 28 count R & R Mother Earth linen

Fibers - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 24 June 1998

Completed - 30 June 1998

Twenty years ago I stitched this and I still love it!

That's the wonderful thing about crafting - you have the chance to create things that will last decades.

Can you see the bird on the ground that caught my attention?

It's a warbler called a Yellow-breasted Chat.

And it is the one bird that I see each year that impresses a former University School of Ornithology professor!

The Chat has a huge and varied chatter call, thus it's name. 

This bird 'spoke' but did not use its entire vocabulary, nonetheless it caught my attention and I finally found it.

I was lucky that it popped out of the brush...

...and gave me several good looks...

...like this one!

This though is my favorite photo. I love the contrast of the bird against the backdrop of taupe teasel.

A Walk in the Dahlia Garden

In late August my sister's dahlia garden is at its peak.

She planted out around 240 dahlias this year and will show the best in Portland, Eugene, and Roseburg over the next few weekends.

It is very much a labor of love that keeps her busy almost every month of the year.

I just enjoy the results of her efforts and care.

Haley's Dream

A.C. Shitake

Embrace

Lakeview Glow

Camano Susan

Clearview Audrey

Colwood Hope

Tidy rows

Midnight Star

Pooh

Bees love open faced dahlias.

This is Lexa - it's named after my sister.

How cool is that!

A Finish to Share

Design - "Wren"

Chart - "Prairie Birds"

Designer - The Prairie Schooler

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Fabric - 32 count Wichelt Ocean Kiss linen

Started - 19 August 2018

Completed - 26 August 2018

I love this series and am hoping to find enough fabric to finish the last three designs.

I do have a couple of wrens in the area.

The Bewick's Wren I see and hear with some frequency. 

The Pacific Wren I've only ever seen once on a snowy afternoon.

This time of year...

...the Ravens remain active...

...as do the Band-tailed Pigeons.

I'm back to see just one California Scrub Jay.

He runs off all the Steller's Jays to eat his fill.

The Flickers continue to delight...

..as do the California Quail.  This widower is raising a family of eight chicks and I just saw another male with four tiny, tiny chicks. I hope there is enough time for them to grow large enough to survive the winter.  

These gals are pretty good sized.

Here's a quail couple that appears to be kid-free.

Finally, the Flag!

Finally, I am able to stitch on the long wavy flag that makes the bottom border of this design.  The end is in sight!

When the heat and wildfire smoke left, the temperatures have moderated and the days are shorter. 

I think we are going to have an early autumn this year, and even if we do not have rain, September will be cooler with diffused light and lengthening nights.

There's still time for the late fledglings like this young Junco on the right to grow and thrive.

Here's another Junco youngster.

I can no longer tell the young Black-capped Chickadees from the mature adults.

Everyone looks and behaves in the same fashion.

I was pleased to have my first Chestnut-back Chickadee sighting in several months.  I am hoping that once again they become winter regulars.

I've had as many as fifty American Goldfinches. 

Most have molted and are wearing quieter colors. 

The Lesser Goldfinches are now far more colorful than their larger cousins.

The young Black-capped Grosbeaks have a very smart feather outfit.

I am still seeing anywhere between 8-12 birds.

The adult males have left to scout out their territories in their southern homes in Mexico.  I said good-bye to these guys around mid-month.