I'm a Shopping Fool...

...but only on paper and in my head. I must admit though that there are a lot of people in my family and so yeah, I'm just starting to think about Christmas presents. So I got this idea, to sort of oil up my old thinking cap, and based on yesterday's treasury fun: I thought I would try a few more of these beautifully illustrated "shopping lists" with different themes, and see what might happen.

So today, my theme is one of my favorite things: Bird Watching. Anyone care to join me? The Audubon annual Christmas bird count is right around the corner--December 14 to January 5! I wonder if we'll have snow by then?

Wordless Wednesday ('Bye 'bye)

sunrise or sunset?

'Bye 'bye beautiful great blue heron. 'Bye 'bye summer!
(I like this collage better than the earlier one.)

Animal Tails

To build a little more on my Falling, Falling, Falling Fall post of yesterday, here is a collage of the Great Blue Heron right outside my window that I was photographing. He/she hunts/fishes at the pond here almost daily yet is always a thrill to spy. He/she landed in my camper front yard for this series and sauntered down the bank, pretty as a picture. So this put me into a good position to capture the falling leaves, and one other special thing.

You see, this tiny clip of Dakota as she greets me and then sashays away, tail waving, may be the last time I see her tail looking this good. The next time I spotted her, perhaps 30 minutes later, she had had a major MAJOR encounter with a big ripe burdock (cockleburr) bush....what a disaster.

I spent a couple of hours picking out burrs that I could get free from her long, double coat. I was able to remove several hands full, but her tail will just have to be shaved. Initially, the burrs served as a sort of velcro, holding the curve of her tail firmly to her back so she couldn't even wag it until I freed that up. But there is simply no way we will ever get the mass of burrs firmly embedded in all her tail fur free.

Problem is, not sure if this is a job for the vet or for the groomer? She was a fairly good sport, intermittently, as I teased burrs free from her fur...then began to growl and to snap an me....not a good thing. I'm wondering if she'll need to be put under a general anesthesia to be cleaned up? All the fur on her rear end is also firmly tangled with burrs...where in the heck did she go and find all of these?? I haven't figured it out yet, but it's truly a huge mess and next week, I will have to find someone who can help us. So, enjoy her sweet swingy tail here because it's history for now! Poor old girl....

Wordless Wednesday (Summer Visions)

Luxurious displays by Mother Nature!
As an addendum to yesterday's post about the grounded baby robin: he was no longer on the ground when I got back to check mid morning and no signs of bird damage!! We hope that somehow, he rejoined his parents as there was no evidence of him left but some baby bird poops where he had been grounded--and nary a stray feather!

For the Birds....

A few weeks ago, I watched a tiny wren diligently moving bits of twigs and grass into a convenient hole in the bumper of the camper next door to mine. These birds chose to use the dog's water dish for a bird bath. So I got my trusty old copper birdbath from the house garden and installed it on a power pole beside the new wren home.

Here's the bumper where I trust babies are growing up in that nest. I don't go too close right now as I don't want to upset the parents and I hope to see a family in due time, when they are ready to fly. Meanwhile, I marveled at the tiny size of these feathered friends and was amazed to watch them carry bits into the hole to build their nest.

On a sadder note, early this evening I stumbled upon this baby robin sitting in the grass near a few large evergreens. I cannot spot his nest nor have I noticed the parents nearby, but I sense they must be around the area. I hated to leave the little fellow as night was falling and I hope he's OK come morning. I hope the parents find him and continue to feed him as it seems he's too small to fly yet or to find food for himself. When I dashed in to google what to do about baby birds, I realized there was no way that I would be able to feed and raise him....that would just be way over the top in a camper with a cat and a dog!!

In a broader sense, WillOaks Campground is a vibrant bird sanctuary with so many species either passing through, or staying around and calling it home. So I guess it is inevitable that sooner or later, a bird drama or two would unfold. Fortunately, it's mid week and there aren't many tenters around to disturb this little guy so maybe he's got a chance if the parents return at day light? I can only hope they do.

Reflections on Nature

I love the color of shadows at this time of year. Somehow, when the sun is lower in the sky, and when it's playing off of snow and ice, shadows are more blue, purple and all the shades in between. I see the sunset from my studio and can throw up the window to shoot photos--quickly these days because the temperatures are just so low.

Purple in the natural world pleases most people, be it sky or shadows, grapes or berries, buds or flowers, feathers or fish. Purple worn as apparel or accessories is probably not for everyone, but I love it. This newest pearl piece finally uses a set of glorious purple pearls I've been hoarding for awhile. They are just huge-about 10 mm-and I paired them with lots of shiny sterling silver and a dustier purple Irish linen. This piece has been listed in my Etsy studio and clicking on the photo will take you to the listing for more information.


And now, a few notes about an unusual phenomena that's been happening around the farm here the past couple of days. It started Thursday when I heard a flock of geese going overhead and was quite surprised by how many there were. Then, they landed within sight of the house, in a sort of drainage area in the neighboring corn field. I was surprised enough to try to get these photos because geese don't stick around this area in the dead of winter. (Sorry the photos aren't great, I was hanging out a window with my telephoto lens being used at maximum to capture the image.)



Yesterday, the flock tripled in size!! I'm thinking this may be because there is some stray corn dropped on the field during the harvest was about 2 weeks ago. There was sun yesterday, briefly, and that hill they were on faces south, so no doubt, that was a welcome break from temperatures in the teens. While I did not get photos when the flock increased, be assured I'll try to capture this phenomena should the feathered friends return later today.

And now, I've got so many questions about what I've seen: Can these geese tolerate the below freezing weather without shelter? And if they need shelter, where do they go? What do they do for water when all the streams and the ponds are frozen solid? And most curious of all, why didn't or don't they just go further south to escape this bitter cold? I need to take some time to call a couple of local hunter friends to see if I can learn a little more about these birds!

Have a great weekend! Do keep warm if you're in a part of the country currently dealing with these frigid temps!

More Magical Mornings

I'm delighted to learn that so many readers here enjoy these mysterious-foggy-frosty-morning kind of photos. Now I don't free quite so strange...ha ha!

Also in today's series are some birds that landed after the fog lifted, mainly a special favorite: the "red winged blackbird." I just love these little guys, always note their return in the Spring as many nest in our area, and did see a few mixed into that big black bird convention here a couple of days ago. Maybe these were stragglers trying to catch up? And then, a constant overhead view right now--the Canadian Geese "V"--gosh they are noisy. If I'm really lucky, maybe I'll be on hand with my camera when the really huge migration passes through. Or better yet, on hand to see the Sand Hill Crane migration. Both of these events are, for me, just awe inspiring.

Seriously, my dear readers and fellow bloggers, I really appreciate all of your generous and encouraging comments left here. It really keeps me going as I strive to get better and better! I'm working a little too hard on "other stuff" to be completely fresh and creative here on my blog right now, but here are the rest of my "early morning" series so....enjoy! Thanks so much for dropping by WillOaks.

Apologies to my regular readers: Accidentally posted my WW a day early and had this one schedule for tomorrow!! Perils of late night writing....so, I've fixed it to the proper post in now on the proper day. Some of you got a sneak preview of WW...oh well!

Avian Cacaphony

It happens twice a year--the great blackbird migration through WillOaks Farm. The sounds are amazing--loud, raucous, relentless--as hundreds of blackbirds flock together on trees, lawn, and pastures, gathering strength individually, gathering in numbers, to move south. I awoke to it this morning, a gray, wet, gloomy dawn, and gradually, their large sound penetrated my sleepy head and I grabbed the camera, shooting through the wet window, afraid I'd miss the opportunity.


But they lingered for awhile. First in one group of trees, then moving to another. Moving to the ground in search of food, then back into the trees. It never fails to amaze me how this huge congregation can synchronize its movements...it seems uncanny.


Mariah, my black kitty, couldn't get enough of the spectacle and like me, went from window to window as the flock moved all around the house, just marveling in the view.

Linked Hematite bracelet

Later in the day, I selected a group of stones that summed up the day for me...a feeling of gray settled over the colors of autumn. Simply lovely on their own and simply connected together with handmade sterling links.

Whoops, Swallow Fledglings!

After some errands this afternoon, I climbed the stairs to my deck with the dog, Dakota, bounding in front of me...only to come eye to eye with a couple of small fledgling swallows sitting there at the top of the stairs! The dog dove after them and I dove after her and quickly shooed her into the house even as I was being dive bombed by the parents. The babies barely hopped away but didn't get caught.

Yahoo!! Fledgling swallows--4 of them--but just barely beginning to learn to fly. Tho these photos are at the "edge of acceptable," the fuzziness of their baby feathers is quite obvious. And while not obvious here, they are very tiny. All this means the dog and the two cats are under house confinement for awhile, which won't make them very happy I know...but I adore the swallows that live all over WillOaks Farm and Campground. I'm thrilled by their annual return and it's truly a delight to watch them swoop for bugs on the fly. They follow the lawn mowers around as "dinner" gets stirred up and they have a many different nesting places all around our acreage.

But I had a heart breaking experience a few years ago when I foolishly installed a bird house for them near my house (only because they seemed determined to build a nest in the garage.) They made their nest in the bird house, laid eggs, raised the young, and at some point, Mariah, my small but deadly black cat, caught the male. I tried to rescue and save him, but he was mortally wounded. My neighbor told me that swallows mate for life and although I'm unsure if this is true...I was haunted to see the female struggle to raise the young herself and projected on her the despair and loneliness of losing a loved one. I can't explain why, but I found it heart rending and I felt responsible.....

So not this time!! Those parents are fearless! They swooped down on me just now as I stood on the deck struggling to snap some photos of the 4 fledglings lined up along the electric cable to the house. They also caught more bugs and came and fed their babies all lined up there. I'm determined to protect these lovely creatures from my band of "hunters" here for a few days, until their flying improves...wish me luck!!

Marauders, Thieves and Pests

I probably should have more charity in my heart about this, but this time of year, my yard here is just overrun by unwelcome "guests." In fact, if I were more aggressive, I could probably load and use one of the guns here. But I don't, I just open the window and yell "SHOOO!" or bang on the glass, or try to encourage the dog, Dakota, to go out and earn her keep....what am I talking about, you ask? Squirrels, rabbits and grackles=marauders, thieves and pests all.


Take the squirrels (please!) One is a pest...between emptying my bird feeders--even chewing them open when possible. Well somehow, one has become FOUR this winter! Yep, two pairs--I thought I was seeing things! For a few months now, I've been mixing lots of cayenne pepper with my sunflower seeds here to discourage them from raiding my bird feeders...and it seemed to be working. Yesterday, I caught them hanging on the feeders again (mind you, these are "squirrel-proof" feeders with big metal cones above them--nothing works to keep them out!) Then I realized that the NEWCOMERS hadn't learned the cayenne lesson yet. Somehow, one had become two had become four…with math like this, I don’t want to think about what kind of multiplying the spring will hold.


Or the rabbits. It never fails: when the deeper snows finally recede, like they did this week, come to find entire shrubs and other foundation plantings have been reduced to....bunny pellets. Yep. They apparently just sit there chewing up my precious plants and turning all that roughage directly into manure, right in my plantings. Now if I could teach them to be more aesthetic with their pruning, I might not mind as much....


Finally, the d___ grackles. They swoop in as huge flocks. They make an entire suet block vanish in a day--food that would last my beloved nuthatches and woodpeckers a couple of weeks. They bully all the little ones away from the sunflower seed feeders. And they won't take no for an answer. Repeated leaning out the windows here, scaring them off--they regroup in one of the trees here, as you can see in the photo, and the minute my guard is down, they all return to finish off anything they can get.

So is there a lesson in all this? Not really any new ones. I do what I can--in fact, I regularly tell all my 'guests' that they are more than welcome to the other 100 acres...just leave my yard alone....but they don't pay attention. So until spring really comes, and natural food returns to our area, I continue my little war here with all the....marauders, thieves and pests.