The Black-capped Chickadee Report

Design - "Chickadee"

Designer - Elizabeth Spurlock

Chart - Easy Cross Stitch Pattern a Day 2009 Calendar

Fabric - 32 count Lakeside Linen Winter Sky

Started - 16 January 2009

Completed - 29 January 2009

On Thursday June 8th I walked around the back of the shop to take a look at the east-facing nesting boxes.

Success!  This one ws once again being used by a pair of Black-capped Chickadees.

The young birds are big enough / old enough that I could hear them quietly peeping.

The parents will spend most of the day catching...

..and bring food to the young.

Young birds are overwhelmingly insectivores.  

Lots of good grub here!

The other parent had gone for the always classic small green caterpillar.

I've read that it takes between 6,000-9,000 caterpillars to feed young chickadees.

I was a respectful distance from the nesting box and I did not stay long, so as not to interfere. 

Winter Birds

Design - "Chickadee"

Designer - Elizabeth Spurlock

Chart - Easy Cross Stitch Pattern a Day 2009 Calendar

Fabric - 32 count Lakeside Linen Winter Sky

Started - 16 January 2009

Completed - 29 January 2009

I thought I'd share this cross stitch finish.  Black-capped Chickadees are one of my favorite winter birds.

And now, to share photos of another winter favorite.

Kinglets rarely come to my feeders. I have to go on a winter walk and listen carefully to find these small birds.

This female Ruby-crowned Kinglet was flitting about at the edge of my sister's Dahlia Garden. 

I managed to get several 'good' looks, enough to determine that it was a female, as the ruby crown never made itself known.

As is usually the case with Kinglets, I heard the bird first before finding it.

he sound is also how I determined that it was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet rather than a Golden-crowned Kinglet.  The white around the eye also helped to
ID the bird.

The day was gray and dull, so the light was not the best.

This turned out to be a pretty good photo.

Look at the body of the bird in comparison to the feet and legs!

Side-ways bird!

Sometimes I see just one bird, sometimes there are several all looking for insects in the mosses and lichens of shrubs and trees.

From the Cross Stitch Archives

Design - Chickadee

Designer - Elizabeth Spurlock

Chart - Easy Cross Stitch Pattern a Day 2009 Calendar

Fabric - 32 count Lakeside Linen Winter Sky

Started - 16 January 2009

Completed - 29 January 2009