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.

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.

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'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.

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.

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'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?