A New Week

Design - "Flurries"

Designer - Val's Stitchin' Stuff

Fabric - 30 count WDW's Sky linen

Fibers - WDW & DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - January 2013

Completed - January 2013

Unlike most of the country, we are having a prolonged spell of very mild weather - sunny skies with highs in the upper 50s and lows in the 40s. Even when the rain returns it will stay mild.

It's made for some interesting birding.

While I did not manage a photo, I'm reasonable sure that this red-tailed hawk was harassing a bald eagle high in the sky! That was quite unusual.

   

Far more common in the winter is this group - a mi of house finches and lesser goldfinches.

The bright yellow of the male lesser goldfinches pop in the sunshine.

The male house finches add a bit of red to to the mix.  

Sunday's Hummers

For a change I got a couple of photos of the male Anna's.

Light is everything and this is why customers come into the store and say they've seen a "Black Hummingbird". They haven't. 

Here's one of the females.

Peaceful time in the morning.

Saturday's Critters

I now have a couple of gray squirrels hanging out.

They've been pretty hard on my seed bells.

They can reach up and take them down.

I'm going to have to switch to hot pepper to try and deter them.

After several days of no deer, three showed up Saturday morning.

They ran off the quail...

...and ate all the seed out of the tray feeder.

A Happy Ending

Design - "More Snow"

Designer - Val's Little Stuff

Fabric - 32 count Mushroom Lugana

Fibers - GAST

Started - 1 January 2011

Completed - 4 January 2011

Here's a bird story with a happy ending.

A few days ago at work a co-worker noticed a bird dangling upside down from the top of a tree at the edge of our parking lot.  She called a bird rehab place in town and they connected with the city's Urban Forestry department.  

Urban Forestry arrived with equipment to reach the male Brewer's Blackbird.  They cut the branch and discovered that the bird had become tangled on thin line - they thought it was fishing line - I thought it was thread.  

The bird was taken to the rehab center to be monitored.  It was successfully released back to our parking lot two days later!

More of the Same

Design - "Herbert"

Designer - Heart in Hand

Started - 7 October 2009

Finish - 15 October 2009

I'm most please with this snowguy.  He is a cutie.

Love his sweater and scarf.

More snowmen and more Bushtits.

I was outside on and off Tuesday and the Bushtits swarmed a suet feeder multiple times.

They are just so stinking cute!

I wish I could capture more heads and eyes... 

...but they were vigorously attackingthe suet.

The one on the railing, "Hey guys, it's my turn!"

As you can see I put out a new cake of suet.

A couple more on the wire above - so cool!

Wednesday's Walk

While there was snow at about 1000', no snow at lower elevations.

So let's take a walk.

There's wildlife out there!

I think the beaver has a been VERY busy!

Nonetheless, the Big Stream is flowing fast and free.

I love Licorice ferns. They are bright green in the winter.

One of our smaller creeks.

More ferns.

Moss and lichens.

Rosehips

Hazel brush

And a cheery Chestnut-backed Chickadee.

A fine walk.