Swans Feeding

With the water a bit lower, the swans are able to feed. They tip forward into the water to pull out the grasses they favor. One day very soon they will take to the skies and head north, all at once. It's a great sight if you are lucky enough to catch it.

Goldfinch

I stepped out the door and spotted this little one in my weeping cherry tree. The goldfinch have been eating here for a couple weeks.

Geese Pair

Winter is still blowing and we have some winter ducks and swans still here. Here a pair of probably local geese fly past.

Aside: Spent yesterday at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show in Hampton, Va. Nice time! I selected some gorgeous Japanese, Australian and African fabric and can't wait to get started on a new project.

Mister Gorgeous

Even in his winter feathers he is one gorgeous duck.

Swans Overhead

A small flock of swans fly over. Soon they will leave for points way far north and our next visitors, the ospreys, will take their places feeding from the waters of the sound. Crabbers were out yesterday laying pots, staking a claim I suspect rather than expecting a catch.

Next Bluebill project

I caught a male Bluebill in profile, so of course he will go on my next art pillow and I'm working on it now. I start with the image, print it onto silk fabric and then start auditioning my fine cotton and cotton batik fabrics to create the pillow. It's a freeform process, so each pillow is unique in size if not colors. Isn't that golden eye something?

Garden Warbler

The newly tilled garden provides a new place to forage for birds like this Yellow-rumped Warbler. A sunny day brought out the Cardinals to sing, the chickadees to measure a nesting box and a gardener to once again move the soil: all signs of a promising spring.

Swans lifting off

A small family of swans lift off the sound. It was a quiet day and I could hear them 'chatter' and see them 'tacking' their long necks just before they made their move. The lead swan is a youngster, it's neck is grey and bill pink.

Black and White Perfection

A male Bufflehead duck, feathered in his best.

White-throated Sparrow

One of our winter visitors late in the day.

Another Currituck Sound Morning Scene

Another shot from my 'Beautiful Morning' in early February.

Bluebill Flock

Some of my flock of Bluebills in last week's rough water.

Bufflehead Gal

Pretty little duck, this Bufflehead female paddles near.

Flying Bluebills

I am so enjoying this flock of Bluebills. I get to watch them raft up, fly around and come up close with the Buffies. The water is so high we are missing our usual Swans and the Ruddys have gone elsewhere. The recent arrival of this flock of 60 plus is a gift.

Bluebill female

Wow, isn't she something? I have to get her printed onto silk. A beautiful duck!

Red Tailed Hawk

Watching for a warbler, I spotted this hawk over a nearby wood. It circled once again and was gone.

Bluebills

Truly gorgeous ducks, the red one is the female. Bluebill is the common name, Scaup is the true name.

Morning on the Sound

Canada Geese land in the morning sunlight.

Snow, but no stick

It snowed all afternoon yesterday, going sideways most of the time but not sticking due to the warmer and wet ground. This is a shot from the last snow that did stick.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Since the wind and rain are in, here's a photo from late January of a female Red-bellied Woodpecker in my pecan tree. I never got the "red-bellied" name until watching the woodpecker in binoculars: there is a red blush on the feathers in the belly area similar to the red blush around the beak. You can see a bit of it here below the foot. They love acorns and pecans.

Few Swans

After the last winter storm the water level fell and we saw a few swans. The water level is back up and the swans are gone. Maybe we'll see them again after this weekend's storm.

Not so Still Life on the Currituck Sound

A Canada Goose flies into my still shot of the Currituck Sound landscape. But I love a photo with life ...

Brown Thrasher

One of my favorites, the Brown Thrasher shows up when the weather is rough. Peanuts are not listed in the bird books as one of his preferred foods, but he will take them. He is a great singer in the spring, a mimic like the Mockingbird but with a sweeter tone.

A beautiful morning

This morning was soft and quiet.

Time to Re-stock

The snow is melting, the birds are very busy in the sun. Blue Jays and Red-bellied Woodpeckers are re-stocking their caches of acorns, maybe a reaction to the weather. The Blue Jay has a special 'pocket' in its throat to carry acorns, often four at a time.