Category Archives: Birds

Closer to Home

Things are shaping up here at our country bungalow in preparation for our Thanksgiving Festivities.

Our feathered friends have made some fine appearances, too.

 

We’ve noticed with our covey of Quails that there is always a lookout stationed above the rest to let them know of impending danger.

We love it when quail come to visit.

 

This beauty also graced us with an appearance long enough for some photos.

I’m guessing this is a Northern Flicker. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

 

 

I’m working on a puzzle of Dublin and have made some good progress. I’ll need to finish this one before Thanksgiving.

What is new in your corner of the world.

Labor Day 2023

Happy Labor Day to us in the USA and our Canadian neighbors.

 

Several turkeys visited our front acre a few weeks ago. We do not water in the Summer so you can see how dry and brown things are.

Then before the end of August we had quite a downpour for several hours and things greened up nicely.

This photo above was taken on Sunday evening just before the rains came again with some good thunder.

I changed out some decor around here. What do you think? Too early? Schools start up in our town tomorrow and it just feels like Fall. As I’m typing we are having a nice downpour.

Have a great first full week of September!

Baby Quail

The parents are so protective as they should be.  I can’t get close enough to get a good photo without them scurrying away.

Zooming through the slider window, it’s hard to get a good clear shot.

It’s such a delight to spot the baby quail with their parents.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating the 4th with friends from church. If you live in the U.S.A. enjoy our Independence Day!

Have No Fear

Bellefontaine 104-001

Said the wildflower to the sparrow:
“I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.”

Said the sparrow to the wildflower:
“Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no heavenly Father,
Such as cares for you and me.”

 

 

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:26-32

 

The Robber

I looked out our dining room window in time to see a lot of bird activity in a nearby tree. I was wondering if a nest was being robbed. I went outside and closer to the tree to get a look when I spotted this hawk.

You can see part of a robin (above the hawk’s head) who is trying to make the hawk get away from the nest.

The hawk wasn’t fazed.

The hawk took off with the Robin chasing it.

The hawk flew back to the its nest in the larger trees on the slope behind our home.

The circle of life right before our eyes.

Today the main tree trunk is being cut into 16inch sections and our grands will be here while that is happening so my internet time is at a premium again. The beginning of June has proved to be very busy at our country bungalow.

Hope all is well in your corner.

Hawk Flying and Turkey Strutting

The hawk was too high in the sky for me to get better photos. I zoomed as close as I could.

 

The male turkeys have been strutting about these Spring days.

 

 

Besides hawks and turkeys we have visits from quail and robins and swallows. Hummingbirds are returning, too. Everything has grown quickly and I’ll need to get out to take some photos of the greening of the yard and the peonies about to open. With the heat we’ve been having I’ll need to water instead of counting on the Spring rains to do that for me. We are getting some of the haze from the fires in Alberta. Fires this early does not bode well for our fire season. A peculiar thing that we’ve noticed this year, too, is an abundance of moths flitting about.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Our State Bird

We’ve been enjoying some summer weather here the last few days. Things are growing fast.

It was fun to spot our state bird in the bushes of one of our planters and it stayed long enough for me to zoom in for some photos.

The American Goldfinch was designated as the Washington State Bird in 1951. This beautiful golden bird is found throughout our state and is commonly seen in flocks in fields, bushes and trees.

The state bird proved a point of contentious debate in the state of Washington. After more than two decades of voting and arguing, the state chose the American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) officially in 1951.

We had a good weekend with lots of outdoor work that takes it’s toll on my wrists and back but still gives a measure of satisfaction to get the work done.

We had a nice Mother’s day starting off at church and having dinner at our Colville Kids’ home. Thanks for stopping by.

Hello May

Happy May Day!
“Come, my soul, put on your springtime clothes and gather garlands of heavenly thoughts.”
Spurgeon

Looking forward to our May flowers! Our last couple days of April brought temperatures into the 80’s!

Spring has brought some common visitors back to our yard.

These stay right where they are all year round in all kinds of weather.

Our daffodils came up and they are in their full glory.

Spring Rhubarb.

Soon we’ll be enjoying the Peonies.

For close to 5 years we have been half-satisfied with our internet service. Where we live Satellite service has been our best option. Our plan was expensive and doesn’t deliver for the cost in our opinion. Lately we have another choice for Satellite and we took the plunge and ordered Starlink. Dear is on the roof getting the space ready for the Satellite dish.

That dish moves and finds the optimum position in relation to the Satellites. Very cool. It lets us know if there are obstructions. It also will melt snow that might accumulate on it. Our other service had a data limit and this service does not. We are happy campers. It was expensive for the initial cost of equipment, etc., but the monthly fee is $50 dollars less than our previous provider. We are pleased. When we called to cancel our previous service they offered us more data and a $50 discount on our plan. Too little, too late.

Hope you can enjoy lots of pretty blooms in May and joy in your hearts!

Back on the Trail

Last Saturday we left our house early to see how the Rotary trail had shaped up after our Winter and Spring snow. We were hoping for the trail to be free of mud. We were happy to only encounter a very small patch of mud on our three mile course. It was nice to get out in the sunshine for our walk and we hope for many more early walks to come.