Saturday, February 29, 2020

No Critters

I wasn't able to 'capture' any critters this week.
So instead, I'm offering...

Bushtits!

Very alert. Female.

Male.

I tend to forget just how long their tails are.

And looking closely, their heads are brown and cream, while the rest of the bird is gray.

I had a very large group late Friday afternoon, but was only able to get photos of a pair.

Friday, February 28, 2020

They're Back! At Least One Is


Design - "Pink Heart"
Designer - Heart in Hand
Fabric - 32 count Clay Belfast linen
Fibers - WDW & GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads
Started - 9 February 2016
Completed - 15 February 2016

Thursday was a lovely, sunny day.

A few quail were out and about marching around.

Look how green the grass is already!

And yep, they're back! At least the first one is.

Who?

A Band-tailed Pigeon that's who.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Courting Time


Design - "Love"
Designer - Heart in Hand
Linen - 30 count unknown linen
Fibers - WDW & GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads
Started - 8 February 2016
Completed - 9 February 2016

A Valentine is appropriate...

...as the Anna's Hummingbirds are courting and nest building.
Can you see the male on the lower left and the female in the middle?

While the Lesser Goldfinches also have courting colors... 

...it will be May before they are serious about nesting.


Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Wednesday's Walk


The sun is shining, the birds are singing.
Let's take a walk.

An early sign of spring.

Do you recognize these rolled-up leaves?

They are Trilliums and this is what they'll look like when they unfurl.

Cows Parsnip

The very first native shrub to leaf out and bloom.

Indian Plum aka Osoberry

Here's a close-up.

The bright red stems of Osier Dogwood.

Work appears to be complete on the beaver's dam.  

I haven't seen any new activity for several days now.

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Better Late Than Never

Design - "Baubles - February"
Designer - Sam Sarah
Fabric -28 count Newport natural / cream linen
Fibers - GAST & WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads 
Started - 19 February 2014
Completed - 23 February 2014

I'm late with this post - still struggling to get over a persistent cold.

I continue to see lots of Juncos.

They come in large flocks and argue and chatter.

I'm taken with this small male Downy Woodpecker.

He comes to my suet feeders almost every day.

Monday, February 24, 2020

A Year Ago Today

Design - Make Do #11 - "Love" (kit)
Designer - Shakespeare's Peddler
Fabric - 32 count Rosy Pink linen
Fibers - unknown - 2 strands over 2 threads
Started - 28 February 2013
Completed - 5 March 2013

A year ago on Sunday night it began to snow... 

...Monday morning we had 8" and it was still snowing.

It turned into an epic snowstorm of over 20 inches with more snow on Wednesday. We were trapped with snow and fallen trees and no power for most of a week.

This winter has been very different. It's to be 65f by Thursday!

So no snow, but I do have a Bushtit!

I think these photos give you an idea of just how tiny they are.

The Downy Woodpeckers are not tiny, but they are little.

They are fairly tame and will allow me to get quite close.

I'm looking forward to late summer when they bring their fledglings to the suet feeders.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Sunday's Hummers

I know it seems very early, but for a week or so now, the female Anna's Hummingbirds have been pulling out the organic cotton to use as nesting material.  They've also been taking aster seeds.  They also use spider webs and moss.  Can you image how these tiny nest must look?

Even with nest-building, there's still time to take a bath.

Next step?

Spread wings...

...and droplets fly.

Female at the feeder.

And a male.

He has a small feather sticking straight out beneath his bill.

Have you driven off the other male?

Saturday, February 22, 2020

A Bunny


Breakfast time!