Gold Finches

Here is the pair of Gold Finches that is frequenting my feeders. They are especially fond of the thistle seed (also known as Niger). The female is on the left, with more muted coloring, and the male on the right with the bright bold yellow. On the sunflower seed feeder you can spot the female Black-headed Grosbeak.

Those little nimble musicians of the air, that warble forth their curious ditties, with which nature hath furnished them to the shame of art. ~Izaak Walton

Correction!

How fun to know other bird watchers! As my friend Arielle has noted, those orange birds I was so excited about and thought were Bullock's Orioles, are really Black-headed Grosbeaks. I looked them up and indeed, they look very much like the orioles, but have a short, fat beak instead of a long, thin one. No wonder the female was sitting at the sunflower feeder cracking and eating the seeds without the use of a branch or other hard surface! The top bird was indeed a female Black-headed Grosbeak, and the bottom one a male.

Birding!

My newest hobby is birdwatching, mostly in my own backyard. As if I don't have enough hobbies. The bird that entertained Chereé and I yesterday on top of Heybrook was this Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis), also called Camp Robber because it rummages through camps looking for scraps of food. It is easily tamed and will fly to your hand if offered food.

It will eat just about anything! What is it eating here?

Some of my squished PB&J sandwich.

It also stores extra food for winter, balling it together in a sticky mass, placing it on a tree limb often hiding it with lichen or bark. You were right Chereé!

Now, my really exciting spotting of today was at my own feeding station that I just set up on Thursday. First I saw a pair of Gold Finches, bright yellow! Didn't have my camera. BUT.... after that, along came a pair of Bullock's Orioles! I had heard we had them in Washington, but was told it was difficult to attract them. I really wanted to see some, so I can hardly believe my good fortune in spotting them the second day since my feeder was up!

The female oriole is at the top feeder, scarfing down sunflower seeds. Her wings are more brown and white, whereas the male's wings are black and white. The top one may actually be a male juvenile, as they look more like the female. The female is supposed to have a solid orange head.

Male juvenile, or a female. I need to learn more before I am sure.

The male eating from the wild bird seed platter. It is bright orange and black...... very beautiful!

Bless the flowers and the weeds, my birds and bees.

Heybrook Lookout

Chereé (from work) and I went for our first hike of 2009 today. We couldn't have requested a nicer day. Clear. Sunny. Slight breeze. Temperature in the 70's. Mmmm Mmmm! Only about 23 miles up Hwy 2 from Monroe, in just a little pull-out on the westbound side of the road, the hike begins. It is only a mile-long hike, but is uphill the entire way, gaining 1000 feet.

Morning sun peeking through the moss-covered trees.

Moss everywhere, so thick that the ferns appear to be growing out from the rocks, though they find root in a deep layer of moss.

A bit of bouldering...... :-)

Run-off water falls along the trail.

Moss covered rock 'caves'!

Many, many trees reaching skyward toward the sun.

Looking for whatever bird is singing that beautiful song!

View from the trail across the valley.

First glimpse of the lookout tower......... just a little bit farther.....

Climbing that last steep slope.........

Lookout Tower

At the top!

Looking down at our packs......

Looking across the valley at the Lake Serene area.

(Telephoto lens)

Looking down at the Skykomish River.

(Telephoto lens)

Looking west down the valley.

Lake Serene in snow bowl.

Bridalveil Falls below lake.

Telephoto lens close-up

Looking eastward up the valley.

Eastward.

Looking at Mt Baring and Mt Dunn to the east.

Barclay Lake is at base of Mt. Baring.

We ate our warm, squished peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fruit at the top, then headed back down the trail. Going down was the hardest part of the hike. Knees jarring. Legs became like jelly. We saw many interesting mushrooms, plants and a bird that entertained up while we ate. I will blog those separately in a series the next few days. All-in-all, it was a very pleasant hike! Good for a quick hike some morning for you younger ones :-)

All in a Name

I have chosen both a male and a female name (to be determined when it gets older and we can tell what it is) for my Leopard Gecko from the suggestions that have come in:

Leo (Leo the Leopard), submitted by Beth OR
Princess Lizzy (from the Princess Lizard submission), from Selah

You will be receiving $10.00 Starbucks gift cards. Congratulations!

However, I also really liked Stewee, from Owen.. He will receive a 2nd place $5.00 Card.

Thanks to all who participated!

Quack-Up!

The phone rang at 7:30 this morning. It was Barbara from the post office in town. My baby ducklings had arrived, and needed to be picked up ASAP!

They were happy to see daylight.......

.....but mostly, they were very thirsty and hungry.

These guys are Indian Runners (I think they will be fawn colored)....... cheery little ones!

This is a Swedish Blue. Am I the only one that ever has occasional issues with pictures rotating they way they what to go?

Mr. Mallard in the making.

Yes, Mimamama, more fodder for the raccoons this fall. But I just love baby ducklings, and the pond needs to be kept clean this summer :-)

A Smattering

Sunday morning found us leaving home at 5:30 AM, winding our way through the valley fog. We arrived in Spokane at 10:30 in time for a huge brunch at Ian and Lela's home. A lot of family had already gathered earlier in the weekend. This trip had a dual purpose: 1) to meet Ian and Lela's new daughter, Megan. She is a long awaited gift! 2) Ian's brother, Ryan, runs Peak 7, a non-profit organization that takes at risk youth on outdoor adventures. He organized a Bocce Ball fundraiser, in which many family members were involved in The following show a smattering of the day:

A wonderful day........... drove back home into the sunset, arriving a bit before midnight.

Ahhhh! Nothing like a great day with family and my own bed! ~Me