Pretty Blue Buntings and Handsome Beaks

 Beautiful May days.

Busy days too!

Much to accomplish around our 48 acres as the summer season approaches.

 May is a stormy month, making a lush and fecund world.

 Right on schedule; our annual sighting of the Lazuli Bunting.  Hoping he stays for a while as we'd like to get better photos of him.  Such a pretty bird.  Named after the beautiful Lapis Lazuli stone ~ one of the stones folks request as inlays on their rings.

 Lapis Lazuli is inlaid here on a Cherry Wood Ring with birds eye Maple bordering inlays.

 

Touch Wood Rings

We have 6 Evening Grosbeaks now.  Hoping that our regular flock of 18 or more will be here within the next few weeks.

This was pretty sweet this morning … I was taking photos of one of our handsome male grosbeaks...

 

Within moments the rest of the small group gathered around on the same bush moving themselves into the frame as if to say … hey wait … family portrait please.

 

 And of course we are happy to oblige.

The lovely month of May

 Spring has come to the meadow.  Perhaps I've said that before!  The season of Sprin-ter is past.  I'm certain of it.   The yellows are here ... dandelions, bumble bees, yellow headed blackbirds, yellow rumped warblers and we've had a quick glimpse of our beloved Grosbeaks who ought to back in full force here soon.

 

Yellow headed blackbirds

 A bee on one of natures most marvelous offerings.

 One of David's sweet Hummer pics

 Red Wings and Grosbeaks and Cassin's Finches ~ singing in the rain.

 One of our many Hummingbirds

 A Western Toad rescued by Vincent from the basement stairwell after a downpour

 Spring colours

 

 A walk in the woods ...

 A very tame 'Sprucey'

and the creek before the edges green up

 Life just doesn't get any better than this.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

~ Till next time ~

April Arrivals

 The beautiful Hooded Merganser

 Two adult males and one female

 Oh Canada ~ Geese of course.

 David got some great shots of a flock of Ring-necked Ducks last night at dusk

Our property seems to be right on the border of their migration route and summer breeding grounds. 

They are not a common sight here.

 And a sweet shot David got of four girls enjoying the last warmth of the afternoon.

Our female red winged blackbirds.

Greater Yellowlegs or Lesser... we think Greater.

More of our Geeseleys. A comforting constant on the meadow.

In pretty short order the ice and snow 

will be something we're looking forward to seeing again.

 In the meantime, this is such an exciting time of year.  We're loving it.

Thanks for dropping by.

Who's singing on the meadow?

 Let us not speak of spring just yet.  

There will be time for that.

It is late winter on the meadow and all the snow we're getting now is going to make the forest sing when the sun finally encourages the dandelions to bloom!

 The Red Winged Blackbirds (just the males so far) have returned to serenade us

and if you close your eyes, they sound like bells and a babbling brook.

 The Purple Finches also grace our snow piles

picking off seeds we offer them and apparently oblivious to the cold.

  They also sing. 

Tough little dinosaur descendents!

  Vincent reported that Sprucey the Squirrel was seen tipsy on fermented apple cores this morning

and who could blame the little critter?

  A normally elusive otter zips along the edge of Mackin Creek in full view ... 

heading somewhere fast.

David and I are happily

heads down working with some lovely folks on their commissioned rings.

Vincent is putting a fresh coat of paint on the woodworking shop!

We have (bug killed pine) firewood a plenty and over meals we talk of plans for the warmer months ahead.

Sheep and chickens, sunken gardens, soffits and eaves,

 Visitors and Visiting

Outside, the snow continues to fall 

and spreads her soft blanket over any urgency to Spring Up and tackle our To Do Lists.

Life is good.

And we are well and truly blessed! 

As I wrap up this late March post we spot a Flicker on the feeder

Vying for a go at the suet.

Outnumberd by hungry blackbirds... he'll be back :)