Weekly Woodpeckers Excitement and Stitch

I spent Tuesday on a visiting plant nurseries on a bus trip.  So I kitted up the Cedar Waxwing from "Birdsong I" so I'd have something to stitch while we were on the road.

Lots of woodpecker activity this week, so warning - lots of photos. 

The Downy Woodpeckers are by far the smallest of my woodpeckers.  But for their small size, they are pretty fierce and will not cede ground to much larger birds like the Steller's Jay on the left.

This is a female Downy.

As I hadn't seen one for over a week, I has pleased to have her stop by.

The female Hairy continues to be 'regular'. 

The male Hairy likes both the front and back feeders.  Besides larger nuts, he is also scarfing down shelled sunflower seeds.

Finally, I had some good looks at a Red-breast Sapsucker.

I think he looks rather frazzled here.

And here he is yet again.

I think the Starling on the right was supervising the Sapsucker's work.  

Don't you just hate having someone watching over your shoulder?

Finally, he can work as he pleases.

This photo is the cause of all my excitement. If you look closely there are two Acorn Woodpeckers on the right side of the tree, and one on the left side.

THREE ACORN WOODPECKERS!  

Sometime in 2015, my group of Acorn Woodpeckers decreased to just two birds; one male and one female.  In 2016 the pair did not fledge any youngsters, and I was worried that 2017 would be a repeat - no babies. 

But twice now I've seen three birds - two females (like the one above) and one male.

Two females will help tremendously with the odds of growing the colony in 2018.

I think this may be the young bird. 

Young Acorn Woodpeckers have blue eyes...

...older birds, like this male, have pink eyes.

Here's a female and male...

...and the third bird, another female.

Several times I've seen a group of three Flickers. 

No worries about the number of these birds.

They are pretty easy going and social birds.

This is the only photo I managed of a Pileated Woodpecker this week - a bird in flight. So all my woodpeckers are accounted for this week: Downy, Hairy, Sapsucker, Acorn, and Pileated.

A Bird and Some Dafs

Finished the bird on the left - it is much larger and thicker than the one on the right,  It's interesting that they are not mirror images of each other. 

Oh, I am close - I am so, so, so close - to a finish - a completion.

The next time I post "Alphabet Sampler" it will be done, done, done.

Just seven more rows of the bottom border, the date, and my initials.

I thought I'd share some of the daffodils that are blooming at the moment on our property.

Einstein

Flower Record

King Alfred

Passionale

Roulette

Ice Follies

My favorite is Passionale.  Several years ago we all picked from a bulb catalogue and Passionale was my choice - a creamy outer petals with the palest peach trumpet.  It has naturalized and increased with abandon beneath an Oak tree at the beginning of our driveway.  The shade of the Oak helps it keep good color and not fade in the bright sun.  It is a stellar performer - does not droop or break in heavy rain - very up-right and tidy looking.  

Birds, Birds, Birds

This birdhouse is outside a window on our stairwell landing.  I'd worried that it was too exposed and would not be inhabited.  But for the last couple of weeks - despite the cats watching from the window - we have had prospective tenants flying by and perching on the stoop.  Yesterday, I caught our "new neighbor" bringing in a piece of grass with which to build a nest.  Though I cannot see it, somewhere there must be a sign which reads "OCCUPIED"!

In keeping with the avian theme, I finished up "Birds" by Heart in Hand.

Design - Birds

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric - 32 count Summer Khaki linen

Started - 11 May 2010

Completed - 12 May 2010

And this morning, I potted up several coleus and large fern...still have about six flats of plants to set out...this is supposed to be fun right, not work.  I need to stop being so compulsive, and enjoy the process.

Now, it must be time for a nap!

For the Birds - Detail Shots - Ooops - Don't Shoot the Birds!

           The Owl                                       The Parrot

             

The Crows and the Cat

     The Peacock                                          The Stork

Checkerbird - A Finish

Design - Checkerbird (kit)

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric - 32 count Summer Khaki Belfast

Started - 17 February 2010

Completed - 19 February 2010

Backyard Birds - A Finish

I finished "Backyard Birds" today.

I think that the colors are especially stunning.  I will confess to getting a bit bored with all the many borders that surrounded the alphabet and birds. I stitched this La-D-Da piece on R & R's 32 count La-D-Da Brown linen and used the fibers as indicated on the chart.

Backyard Birds - Further Progress

I feel as though this is progressing very slowly, but based on the changes since I last posted, I have been stitching along steadily!

Backyard Birds - Progress

Here's what I've accomplished thus far. Lots, and lots, and lots of borders on this one.  I stitched enough of the borders to make sure that all the other elements would be placed correctly.  Now I alternate between "Boring Borders" and "Interesting Elements". 

This (rainy) afternoon Parvati and Padma were my cross stitch companions.

  

Backyard Birds - A Start

September - a new month, and perhaps, a new stitching direction.  I found I was not in the mood for more rabbits and so have kitted up "Backyard Birds" by La-D-Da.  I am using the fibers - Gentle Arts, DMC, and Weeks Dye Works -as charted.  I will be stitching project on 32 count La-D-Da Brown from R & R linen.