The End is Near

 

Design - "Oh Deer Winter"

Designer - Deb Jochim of The Stitching Bear

Distributor - Punch Needle Primitive Stitchers Magazine

Fabric - 32 count Toasted Coconut Dixie Samplers linen

Fibers - 

Started - December 2016

Completed - 30 December 2017

Yep, the Sharp-shinned Hawk was back.

House Finches watch from safety high up in a tree. 

This Lesser Goldfinch stayed tucked away too.

Wednesday's Walk

My sister and I took a walk at Delta Ponds . 

This time of year there are lots of Canada Geese.

I've gone back and forth with this bird: Ruby-crowned Kinglet or Cassin's Vireo.

Based on the size and the white/black/white wing bars I'm voting for Cassin's Vireo.

Small flock of Mallards

Female Double-crested Cormorant

Male Ring-necked Ducks 

Males!  Watching a female...

American Coots

They eat lots of pond plants.

Can't see the wing bars, but the eye ring again leads me to say Cassin's Vireo.

And here I'm going with Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Wing bar indicative of a kinglet.

Male Mallard

Black-capped Chickadee.

The bird is out of focus, but I like the structure of the willow thicket.

Interesting Birds

Design - Partridge

Chart - "A Prairie Christmas"

Designer - The Prairie Schooler

Fabric - 32 count Lambswool linen

Fibers - DMC - 1 strand over 2 threads

Started - 26 December 2011

Finished - 28 December 2011 

Let's take a closer look at some of the Flickers I've had come by. 

 

Here's a female Red-shafted Northern Flicker.

And a male. In both cases you can see the strong orange tail feathers. 

Tongue sticking out.

The male has a red mustache.

As well as polka dots and stripes.

Both have a black half circle high on their chest.

This female is the interesting bird.

Look at her tail feathers.  They are yellow, not orange.  She an intergrade - a mix of  a Yellow-shafted and Orange-Shafted Flicker. 

With lots of hawk action, the Acorn Woodpeckers have been AWOL.

It was good to see this one, if only briefly.

The Last Week of the Year

Design - "On the First Day of Christmas"

Designer - Sisters & Best Friends 

Magazine - "Just Cross Stitch" 2005 Christmas Issue

Fabric - 28 count R & R Kona linen

Fibers -

Started - 26 November 2009

Completed - 28 November 2009

 

This small Sharp-shinned Hawk has become an almost daily visitor. 

He stays for hours at a time and battles the Steller's Jays which are about the same size.

I also had a couple of California Scrub Jays.

Noisy and demanding, but also handsome.  

I could say the same about the Steller's Jays too.

Sunday's Hummers

I've had up to 4 birds perched and drinking out of the same feeder.

Three is the most I've managed to capture.

And it's always a group of females.

This guy is not into sharing.

I've gotten used to having a pair drinking.

It's no longer a big deal.

Though really it is a big deal.

Solo guy - I did see two males buzzing around.

In the pouring rain.

Can you see the raindrops on her beak?

Just Chipmunks

 It's a quiet day today.

But I can always count on a chipmunk.

It's a lot of responsibility for so small a creature!

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

Russian Santa

The mantel 

Another forest

A tree of Cardinals

The 'main' tree 

Bird House trees

Close up #1

Close up #2 

The Big Bird Tree

Acorn Woodpecker

White-crowned Sparrow

Parrot and Pheasant

Penguin and Cockatiel

Glass bird

Barn Swallow

Bald Eagle