30+ mile ebike ride from Woodinville to Lake Sammamish
10/14/2023
Category Archives: wildlife
Wildlife: Northern Flicker
I’ve been stalking this girl for a couple of weeks, but she’s been too fast for me. Not today, however!
Edmond’s Beach
My son and I are Beach Watchers. Among other activities, we gather with other volunteers at our local beaches at low tide and offer information about the flora and fauna that live in the intertidal zone.
Yesterday was our first beach day in well over a year, and it was wonderful to be back. These are just a few of the surprises the Sound revealed. (The identifications are my best, researched opinions.)
Local Wildlife
On the back deck:
365 Somethings Project: Week 5
And so, I have made it to week 5. Each week, I keep a short list in my notebook of what I want to accomplish creatively. This week, the list didn’t happen, primarily because I have a book to review and reading takes up my precious bits of creative time. Still, I did find ways to be creative.
1. Rachel Reinert’s Color Workshop: I managed to complete Rachel’s highlighting and shadowing project. I like how this turned out. Furthermore, I genuinely enjoyed the time I took to work through this project. I was very happily absorbed, and that feeling counts for a lot with me.
The highlighting and shadowing project in Color Workshop
2. William Sonoma’s The New Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken with Lemon Vinaigrette Couscous with Raisins: This one is absolutely delicious. The house smells fantastic with spices I don’t typically use, and hungry teens seem to be lurking in the shadows around the slow cooker. I’m calling that a win.
Moroccan Chicken with Lemon Vinaigrette Couscous with Raisins
3. Photography: I posted an entry in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge for the subject of variations on a theme. I have also been goofing around more with my Nikon D500 and Picasa and posted several pictures that made me smile.
4. Daily Prompt Books: This week I dabbled in some of my daily prompt books. I certainly didn’t do so with any consistency. Still, grabbing a prompt and writing or drawing for a few minutes let me exercise my creative muscle without feeling too invested in an outcome. The books I’m working through at the moment are Draw Every Day Draw Every Way and A Writer’s Book of Days, and they seem to suit me quite well. That said, I will not post any pictures from these exercises because I need a place to simply learn without an audience watching. (Thank you, Pierr, for the good advice.)
With that, I’ve completed my fifth week of the 365 Somethings Project. I think I’ve created enough of a fledgling habit to justify to myself announcing my goals and parameters for my project in my sixth week. So, it’s finally time to reveal my master plan . . . . 😉
Miscellaneous Photographs
I’ve been playing with my Nikon D5000 this week and had some fun doing so.
A heron decided to visit a seasonal pond in our front yard.
Heron
My middle son got my gene for loving all things living. Joining Quincy the leopard gecko, and Pipsqueak and Piper the guinea pigs, let me introduce
Almond Biscotti the hamster
For the record, that shot is magnified. At a month old, Almond is about two inches in length. She is also the most charming member of the rodent family that I’ve ever met.
A typical winter moment in my office. Note: it’s not my magnetic personality. I have the space heater.
Can I please come back as one of my cats? Please?
Finally, a couple of shots of the flowers my amazing husband surprised me with, just because.
Flowers from my thoughful spouse
Second shot of flowers
Gotcha!, Part 2
After discovering far more patience than I normally exhibit, I finally had the opportunity to get a clear picture of my chickadee. I’m pretty certain he’s a Black-Capped Chickadee.
Black-Capped Chickadee
In the process of obtaining this photo, I’ve actually become quite fond of this little fellow. He’s pretty darn interesting. He does not eat at the feeder like the goldfinches. Instead, he sneaks up and snatches a sunflower seed before darting back into the safety of the shrubbery. Although it made taking his photograph more complicated, I admire his cleverness.
Northern Alligator Lizard
The boys found this little fellow on the property. According to my (increasingly beloved) field guides, he or she is a Northern Alligator Lizard. I think this is the first lizard we’ve spotted here.
Northern Alligator Lizard
Red Clover
“Nobody sees a flower really; it is so small. We haven’t time, and to see takes time – like to have a friend takes time.”
– Georgia O’Keeffe
Red Clover
Red Clover
Gotcha!
I finally moved quickly enough to capture pictures of hummingbirds at both front and back feeders!
Hummingbird at back feeder.
This little lady appeared at our back feeder. I believe this is an adult female Anna’s or Rufous hummingbird because of what I think is a small patch of red under the neck. That said, I reserve the right to change my mind if I get better photos.
Meanwhile in the front, I took two nice shots of this little visitor.
Close up of hummingbird at the front feeder.
Hummingbird at the front feeder.
I believe this is also a female because her tail feathers are clearly white tipped in another photo, but again I’m not sure whether she’s an Anna’s or Rufous.
Now, I wondering if in fact she is the same bird in all three photos?
In any case, gotcha!