Sunset on the golf course

A couple of evenings ago, I got a call from our neighbor that there was a family of elk lounging in the Mariana Butte Golf Course. Lately, I had been so inundated with moving boxes, unpacking, and finding cubby holes for all our stuff that I had not done much walking or found my camera to take photos. I thought that grabbing the camera and having a wee walk in the neighborhood would be some much needed therapy. As I was walking toward the elk family, I also caught some amazing cloud play with the sunset. I think I need to get out more often!

Proud Robin

We've had so many robins, which are normally very territorial, diving into our bird feeders for suet pellets and sunflower seeds. They wait for us in the morning to fill the feeder. They will even come up to the kitchen window and look in if we are running late. Then they practically fly on top of us as we come out with the goodies.

Black Fox, White Snow

Although Easter is just around the corner and it's officially spring, we had a snow storm and about 8 inches of the white stuff. Looking out yesterday morning on the expanse of white on our lawn, I saw a magnificent black fox run across the property. Unfortunately, it was too quick for me to grab my camera. This morning, after the snow had stopped, I decided to walk down to the nearby golf course to snap some shots of the snow-capped mountains. As it turned out, they were well-hidden behind the mist and clouds; only the foothills were showing. As I was snapping some photos, out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement. It was the gorgeous black fox with its thick rich winter coat. 

The snowy conditions also were also encouraging the birds to grab some grub at our neighbors' feeder, which they have attached to their upstairs balcony. The red-breasted house finch is especially pretty!

Chaffinch sitting in a tree

Five Chaffinch sitting in a tree . . . can you spot them below?

Although the Chaffinch is a common garden bird in England, I don't think I ever grow tired of watching them, with their sort of hopping motion on the ground, looking for a bit of seed or goody. They sport earthy and warm colors, spiked with white and black on their wings, and the males have a rich color of rust on their bellies. The colors brighten and fade throughout the year, depending on the season.

Even though we have an easy-to-access raised table feeder filled with enticing seeds and suet, the Chaffinches always peck for food on the ground, along with the greedy wood pigeons. Seems that life would be easier and more fulfilling if they could just manage hopping into the raised table feeder.

These photos were taken on a blustery February day, as the Chaffinch hung onto a naked plum tree. Once the leaves fill in, our garden birds are much harder to watch and photograph.

Garden Guests

We keep seed and suet feeders in our back garden in England. We attract a wide range of birds, including Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Parrots (Ring-Necked Parakeets), Starlings, Pigeons, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Long-Tail Tits, Robins, Nuthatches, and more!

Here is a little stop-motion movie I made of a Blue Tit visiting our feeders today.