A Most Generous Gift

Look what arrived in the mail a few days ago!  A very generous Follower, Kris, gifted me with several cross stitch charts. The Snowman and the bee skep in particular interest me.  Thank you so very much Kris!

Another Follower asked me about feeding Goldfinches...

So I feed medium sunflower chips in several feeders 12 months of the year. 

American Goldfinches come to my feeders in early April and leave by the end of October. While they are here they love to eat the sunflower chips.

Lots of folks also feed "thistle" seed, more properly known as nyger - a form of sunflower. Most years the goldfinches devour nyger especially from July-October.  This for me has been a weird year - the Lesser Goldfinches have eaten nyger, the American Goldfinches have not appeared to be interested - as you can see there's no one on the black feeder.  So sunflower chips it is! 

A couple of days ago, I happened to look over at the deer fence - and wow!  A female Western Tanager was perched there.

I am also beginning to see Cedar Waxwings more frequently.

This was a small group of mature birds.

Thus the frowning black mask and yellow-tipped tail feathers.

It was nice to see them.

This one puffed up and then flew off.

August Trail Camera Photos - Dorothy's Creek - Big Cats

Finishing up the trail camera photos with a series of Big Cats.

Mid-month a bit after midnight the big cats came for a visit.

Now there are two.

Sniffing around - deer passed through about 30 minutes previously.

The trio - perhaps it is Mama can resting on the ground.

Off exploring in different directions.

Heading back again.

Everyone gets thirsty!

August Trail Camera Photos - Dorothy's Creek

Here's a selection of August's photos down at Dorothy's Creek.

Steller's Jay

Cooper's Hawk

Turkey Vulture

Lots of deer photos - many of them around 7pm and so dark.

But this one was worth note as it is the doe and her twin fawns.

A group including a fawn.

A handsome buck.

See the bobcat to the right...and eyes coming down the trail...

I thought it might be a second bobcat...

...but it was a deer following the bobcat.

Bobcat kitten...

I assume for some reason the adult cat did not trigger the camera.

Two bobcats.

And one bear came by.

This is a good-sized adult.

August Trail Camera Photos - The Backyard

No foxes in August, but otherwise, everyone else showed up.

  

Skunks were a periodic visitor.

Why do I say skunks...

...when there's only one?

Wait a moment!  Here are two skunks!

We also had an opossum.

And a raccoon.

Lots and lots of deer photos this past month.

I was pleased to 'capture' a fawn, as I've not seen any up at the house.

Spike, though has been a daily visitor. 

Something startled this doe.

And bobcats during the night...

...and mid-day.  I think this is a male.

Because the next day we had a adult female with two kits. 

The trail camera never picked up a group photo.

It did get a kitten.

One was fairly adventurous.

Here's mom and a youngster.

She rested for a brief moment.

Then they all strolled away.