Saturday, January 15, 2011

Crow Tag for Camera Critters


Tag, you're It!, It looked like a fun game of tag. I have found a field which is often full of many crows each day!

Camera Critters is a meme that features critters, any kind, any size. To see more of this meme please click on the CC logo which can be found on the right sidebar on this page or please click here.http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Red Barns for Ruby Tuesday

A field of crows in flight in the foreground of these handsome red barns for Ruby Tuesday.

Got photos with red want to share them?To check out other postings on Ruby Tuesday just click on the Ruby logo on the side bar or here:http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this meme

Monday, January 10, 2011

I found Snow buntings!


I have been on the lookout for Snowbirds(Snow Buntings) ever since the snow arrived. Yesterday I found some in a field that looked like a good feeding place for them: flat with stubble sticking up from the snow, and not too far from home. Will I return with my biggest close up lens? You gotta believe me, "yes". and maybe I will take along the current book I am reading (Ken Follet's, The Fall of Giants) and park on the highway shoulder and wait for them to arrive. It sounds like a good plan for later today.

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Crow in tree for Skywatch

Earlier today while en route to a nearby community to go grocery shopping we saw a huge bird in this tree. As we got closer we realized it was an eagle. The eagle also realized that we were onto its presence and left as soon as our vehicle stopped before I could snap any pictures. On our return home we we were delighted to see the presence of a large bird in the upper branches , but disappointingly it was just a crow. I shall check this tree often during the coming days in case that it is a favourite perching spot for the eagle that was there today.
back to you later.
My thanks and appreciation to those who host Skywatch Friday. To learn more of this meme which features skies from all over the world please go to http://skyley.blogspot.com/. A Happy Friday to all

Monday, January 03, 2011

early morning lights in Bird Alley for mellow yellow monday





overnight snow is rather sticky on the tree branches this morning: pretty!
Leaving our Christmas outdoor lights on past the Holiday season makes for a cherry, warm welcome to a cold , snowy , winter morning: like today appears to be. A warm mellow yellow greeting to everyone today.
Happy Monday to all. To view a wonderful variety of yellow-themed photos from other bloggers around the world, just click on the link below
mellow yellow

Sunday, January 02, 2011

A sprinkling of birds


I have a change of report on Bird Alley activity since this mornings post. While seeing very few birds the past couple of days we have had a sprinkling of bird visitors today. very few and in small numbers only: I can report sighting; one bluejay 4 or 5 Goldfinch and a few Tree Sparrows and two or three Black-capped Chickadees. I do hope my numbers improve by tomorrow, for my camera is hungry!




a handsome tree sparrow

Inactive Bird Alley







It had to come , all of this snow in Bird Alley.! My anticipated joyful winter pass time of taking pictures of birds feeding at our feeders has come to a halt, Where are the birds? Yesterday I saw only one fleeting Blue Jay in Bird Alley! How I miss them. Yesterday was not a great birding beginning to the new year.I have since knocked the snow off the feeders and have refilled them, but still have not seen any birds partaking of the food I have spread around.I had hoped The birdseed feast I had spread around on Mr. Snowman's hat yesterday,would entice some feathered friends. The only happenin around Mr. Snowman yesterday was that during our + 5 degrees temperature yesterday his eyes and carrot nose fell off. Oh Well, maybe today?

We had a great Christmas with 5 grandchildren visiting and Santa left some wonderful presents under our tree on his stop over and they were all well appreciated.

Now to get this new year started. It is one of anticipation and joy for me as my daughter's first novel will be published this year!
A Happy New Year to all for this year of 2011!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Welcome to winter!

Monday, December 13, 2010

snow goose with blue ribbion for Blue Monday





Although snowgeese are not common to our area, these three fly in our yard every winter season. I made the template a few years ago from a picture I had taken of snowgeese near Levi, Quebec, along highway #20

So make them a bit festive for the Christmas season,we added a blue ribbon to put around their necks, as the fly through winter on our fence which surrounds Bird Alley.
Actually Bird Alley isn't so winterlike this morning. Looking out our window I view a +10 C temperature and green grass beyond our gate. My kind of winter.
.Blue Monday is a meme that hosts photos which highlights the colour of blue. Please click on the bluejay badge in the right sidebar to learn more of this interesting meme found at : http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/search/label/Blue%20Monday%20Instructionshttp://

Sunday, December 12, 2010

A Sunday Bird Surprise in Bird Alley


An American Rubin in Bird Alley! Actually there were three of them but they flew away as I reached for my camera. This photo was taken of one of the fleeing robins perched in a tree. Luckily its red breast shows its colour. I hope they return to Bird Alley later today. I love Robin pictures, especially out of season ones.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

a glimpse of Cardinal red for camera critters


We have seen a pair of Cardinals around Bird
Alley recently. The female did not create any problems with taking her picture, but the male has been very elusive. This morning, just a few moments ago I captured his presence with my camera. Its still quite elusive and this photo glimpse was all I could record, but proof, "yes we do have a pair ofcardinals in Bird Alley!".So, why the fuss? "Its just a cardinal," say you, who might consider this a common sighting. Not so in my area. A cardinal sighting is a treat and a rare one at that. My elderly neighbour, a gentleman in his 90's was quite excited and interested a few years ago when he heard we had a male cardinal visiting in Bird Alley. He had lived in the community all of his life and had never seen a cardinal. See what I mean by it being a treat to see one? I hope the male stays and poses some day soon for a more cooperative photo shoot.

Camera Critters is a meme that features critters, any kind, any size. To see more of this meme please click on the CC logo which can be found on the right sidebar on this page or please click here.http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Weekend Reflections on Canada Geese



Shown above are reflections of tree trunks in the icy water, But the interesting thing about these reflections are the Canada Geese in the water in the picture shown below. Please click the photo below to get a better view of the Canada Geese in the icy water. They has better get a move on! and soon! And they were not moving very fast today. We passed this water area this morning at about 10;25 am and returned home a little after 2 p.m. this afternoon. The geese were still there! I went home to get my camera and took these pictures at about 2:30 p.m. Checking out this location tomorrow morning is high on my 'to do' list. If they are still there might they be stuck in the ice? I doubt that that sort of thing ever happens. Hopefully for their health, they will soon be on their way south.
editing note: While searching for the Canadas this morning they were nowhere to be seen. I assume they have lef the area. And the areas of open water appeared to be more closed over with ice.

Weekend Reflectionshttp://newtowndailyphoto.blogspot.com/:is a meme where you can view beautiful reflections captured by others. Just click on the logo on the right to see what others have captured with their cameras

Cardinals in Bird Alley


Who knew the hidden beauty under this female Cardinal's wings? Not I, until I clicked this photo of its take off.We have had a pair of Cardinals hanging around Bird Alley for the past couple of days. The handsome male was too elusive for my camera.... maybe today? Also yesterday we had several Blue Jays feeding. Mourning Doves, we count 14 of them in their almost daily visits, a male and female HairyWoodpecker. several Goldfinch,two Tree Sparrows and one Junco.

Monday, December 06, 2010

sidewalk snowplow for mellow yellow Monday

Yes, the promised snow in the weather forecast arrived overnight and this morning the village's little sidewalk snowplow has been busily keeping up with the snowfall by clearing our sidewalks. And if the forecast is to be believed it will be kept busy as the weather office has issued a heavy snowfall warning for our area.

Happy Monday to all. To view a wonderful variety of yellow-themed photos from other bloggers around the world, just click on the link below
mellow yellow

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

male woodpecker feeding for Ruby Tuesday



Obviously a male ( red marking on the back of its head) Woodpecker but which species? Hairy or Downy? We have both visiting, almost daily and I think this is a little Downy!
A woodpecker bonus picture! This I call a swirl of feathers , of a Hairy Woodpecker ( no sign of red so perhaps this is a female Hairy, as I was focusing my camera on a feeding woodpecker, it abruptly flew away.


Got photos with red want to share them?To check out other postings on Ruby Tuesday just click on the Ruby logo on the side bar or here:http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this meme

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Bringing Outdoors Indoors for Outdoor Wednesday


My fvourite pond for finding ducks and geese is now almost all iced over! I shall eagerly await to see what feathered treasures it invites in the spring
snow covered roads can create adventurous
(dangerous) driving conditions. Be prepared for winter driving.!!

SEWING WHILE ITS SNOWING
Actually its not snowing today and we have only had what might be termed a dusting so far, but I 've already experienced some tricky winter driving on the past weekend. It was at night, after dark and I couldn't figure out( see) where the middle of the road was and I kept wandering from side to side, the snow in my headlights was blinding as I tried to orientate myself on the snow covered highway. I ran out of snowstorm and finally found myself on dark, wet pavement! Thankfully! Our winter tires go on on Thursday and I am eager to get them on.

I have settled into an indoor routine of sewing, a wonderful winter pastime. I finished a quilt last week and now it is at a longarm quilters being quilted. I am eagerly looking forward to its completion. This morning I finished a pillowcase for a little grandson using two different moose fabrics. I don't know the fabric name or source, there were no printed selvages on it., but there is some beautiful nature themed fabric out there to buy! I love shopping for fabric.



Outdoor Wednesday found at http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/ is a delightful meme that invites you to share the outdoors with others. The theme encompasses the outdoors, a topic within the theme of your choosing. to learn more of this meme or to share your view of the outdoors please click on the 'outdoor Wednesday' logo on the right of this page. Happy Wednesday outoor gathering to all

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

featuring'red 'in Bird Alley for Ruby Tuesday

AS these pictures will show, "Yes, We have snow on the ground!"Not enough to have to clear away, but a sufficient amount for a ground covering.This little Red-breasted Nuthatch is easily finding the bird seed under the layer of snow./
Another reddish creature in Bird Alley searching for food under the snow, a Red Squirrel. If you click on the picture to enlarge you can view its beauty and glossy fur much easier.
And these red crabapples are a daily background feature of our outdoors nature photo studio! in Bird Alley. Yesterday they attracted a small group of Starlings in their winter white-flecked feathers. Notice that in the picture above the Starling has a pure white feather! Unusual I would think. Perhaps I'll look for this white feathered feature when Starlings visit Bird Alley again.
The Starlings did not feed on the crabapples that I could see.

Got photos with red want to share them?To check out other postings on Ruby Tuesday just click on the Ruby logo on the side bar or here:http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this meme