Beauties

Design - "A Year in Chalk - August"

Designer - Hands on Design

Fabric - 30 count WDW Gunmetal linen

Fiber - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 30 August 2016

Completed - 1 September 2016

Here's a couple of real beauties!

Okay, maybe they aren't beautiful.

They are very useful and are graceful fliers.

Five Years Ago

 

Monday, November 16, 2020

Noisy Birds

Design - "A Year in Chalk" - "November"

Designer - Hands on Design

Fabric - 30 count WDW Gunmetal linen

Fibers - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 9 November 2016

Completed - 10 November 2017

A year after beginning, I finished up this WIP. I continue to be thankful and grateful as most of us should be. 

Friday afternoon I could hear several birds talking away.  It was not a sound I recognized and I searched and search before locating... 

A small group of White-breasted Nuthatches.

They are fun to watch as they work their way down large Douglas fir trees in search of insects. 

This one had a lot to say...

...and gave me some nice poses while doing so.

I got both left and right profiles.

I don't often see them up near the house and I think that they come to the feeders rarely. 

But the firs and oaks provide good habitat for them.

And their profile is unique so they are easy to ID.

Steller's Jays

Design - "A Year in Chalk - August"

Designer - Hands on Design

Fabric - 30 count WDW Gunmetal linen

Fiber - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 30 August 2016

Completed - 1 September 2016

This guy look pretty good - mostly done molting. 

This guy though!

Besides being greedy, his look leave a lot to be desired.

Still More Flicker Activity

Design - "A Year in Chalk - February"

Designer - Hands on Design

Fabric - 30 count WDW Gunmetal linen

Fibers - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 24 February 2018

Finished - 28 February 2018

 

Cold days seem to mean Flicker activity. 

Here's one now!

A female at the suet feeder

And now a male.

Female in the sunshine

Another female

And yes, they do eat sunflower chips too.

A Woodpecker

Design - "A Year in Chalk" - "November"

Designer - Hands on Design

Fabric - 30 count WDW Gunmetal linen

Fibers - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 9 November 2016

Completed - 10 November 2017

Not much woodpecker activity as of late.

So it was nice to see a male Hairy Woodpecker fly in.

He looks thoughtful.

Eventually he found the Bark Butter.

And that's what's for breakfast.

Thanks for dropping by.

Quiet Day

Design - "A Year in Chalk" - "November"

Designer - Hands on Design

Fabric - 30 count WDW Gunmetal linen

Fibers - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 9 November 2016

Completed - 10 November 2017

It's a quiet day.

It part because of this bird.

It's a small Sharp-shinned Hawk.

The jays hung around, but the rest of the birds (smaller in size) said, "Good-bye!"

Chickadees

Design - "A Year in Chalk" - "November"

Designer - Hands on Design

Fabric - 30 count WDW Gunmetal linen

Fibers - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 9 November 2016

Completed - 10 November 2017 

I seem to see Chickadees everywhere. 

At the Big Feeder, in the backyard, and at the feeders in the front of the house.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

The small acer is sited near a fountain and series of feeders.

The Chickadees, both Chestnut-backed and Black-capped, like to lurk in the acer

before darting out to the fountain or the feeders.

Lurking

Lurking

To the right

To the left!

Quail Gathering

Design - "A Year in Chalk" - "November"

Designer - Hands on Design

Fabric - 30 count WDW Gunmetal linen

Fibers - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 9 November 2016

Completed - 10 November 2017

Slowly but surely, the quail covey is growing.

After only having 2-3 pairs this spring, I've counted upwards of 14 birds.

Still a long way from the 30-50 birds I've often had in the fall / winter.

But each young bird is a chance to further grow the group.

They remain wary, with good reason.

I now have a Sharp-shinned Hawk, as well as this Cooper's Hawk in the area.

I think there are two to three small groups that have melded. 

Each is led by 1 or 2 adult male birds.

They are easy to spot among the young birds.

I hope everyone can stay safe.