A Finish to Share

Design - "Bird in Hand - Summer"

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric - 32 count Picture This Plus Wren linen

Fibers - WDW & DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 4 June 2018

Completed - 23 June 2018

Here it is - I think that it is a bit cluttered, but so be it.

Young birds are fledging... 

It would be hard to top this young Steller's Jay!

Isn't that expression a hoot?

Angry Bird.

He is a mess of downy feathers and note that his bill looks softer and brighter than a mature bird's.

There were no obvious parents in the area.

Here he is in all his poofy glory.

I also had a Brown-headeed Cowbird drop by.

He is rather handsome.

I continue to see Warblers - Orange-crowned mostly.

This one was singing and singing. 

Sometimes in the evening a couple of Cedar Waxwings swing by.

Love them SO much.

I would have named them Bandit Birds.

This one is "singing" - a very high pitched call. 

Here are the two birds.

Thursday's Progress

Here's what I've done on Heart in Hand's "Summer Bird". Not much, but I've been spending most of my spare time gardening.  I hope to have a post or two about those efforts next week.

I do have some Bright Birds to share with you. 

On Monday morning, a very bright yellow blob caught my eye.

Was it yet another American Goldfinch?

Nope!  It was my first confirmed this year of a male Yellow Warbler.

This was the best photo I managed before the bird flitted off to a Big Leaf Maple tree and disappeared from sight.

This male Purple Finch was belting out all his favorite tunes.

He can sing from both the right and the left!

Here he is getting a drink of water.

He qualifies as a Bright Bird!

Summer Birds

Design - "Summer Bird" (Wee One)

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric - 32 count Summer Khaki linen

Fibers - WDW & GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 13 August 2013

Completed - 13 August 2013

I figured that "Summer Bird" was an appropriate, if not almost perfect stitch for August.

Here are some of my local Summer Birds.

My flock of Band-tailed Pigeons has diminished to just 10-15.  That's just fine by me.  The smaller group does not wreck havoc with my feeders.   

The number of Black-headed Grosbeaks has also declined from a high of 18-24 birds, to now just 6 or so.  Those six are usually females / juvenile birds.  It is rare that I see a mature male.

The opposite is true of the American Goldfinches.

I am now seeing 20-30 birds in the morning.

This Goldfinch appears to be a bit puzzled by the Rufous Hummingbird scratching an itch!

My male Lesser Goldfinch is molting and looks a bit tatty.

For a true pretty yellow bird the last 1/3 of August I have to rely on my female Western Tanager. 

On one of our ultra-hot days, I had quite the gathering at a bird bath - two Flickers and two Steller's Jays.

The California Quail number peak at this time of year. I have a family with 12 tiny babies, a family with 4 babies, a family with 12 large kids, and a family of 48 or so!  That's a lot of quail!

No wonder the bunnies begin to feel a bit crowded!

Sunny September Morning

The sun is shining and the birds are singing - no sign on fall this morning.

Johnny Jump-ups

Goldfinches in Filbert Brush

Zinnias, Zinnias, and more Zinnias

August Summer Morning