This came in from Avalus and I was so excited that I didn’t want to wait until next week to post it, so it’s Tree Wednesday.
©Avalus, All rights reserved.
©Avalus, All rights reserved.
©Avalus, All rights reserved.
Fron Avalus,
a pheasant on my way from work. It was picking up stuff from the ground and did not mind me that much. Then a lady with a small unleashed dog came by and the pheasant chose to retreat.
©Avalus, All rights reserved.
©Avalus, All rights reserved.
©Avalus, All rights reserved.
These grumpy-looking beauties used to be pretty common, coming to the feeder in flocks of over ten. Last year I have only seen one over the course of the whole winter. This year they returned, although not in as big flocks as previously.
All birds of genus Carduelis were rare last year, allegedly afflicted by some virus.
© Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size
© Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size
© Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size
© Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size
© Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size
© Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size
© Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size
… styling hair, by Macedonian artist Trendafilka Kirova
Today’s art comes from a story at My Modern Met. If you’re interested, you can see more of Kirova’s work at that link or at the artist’s Instagram, Trendafilka Kirova.
Braiding by Trendafilka Kirova. Image from My Modern Met
Braiding by Trendafilka Kirova. Image from My Modern Met
Braiding by Trendafilka Kirova. Image from My Modern Met
Braiding by Trendafilka Kirova. Image from My Modern Met
Braiding by Trendafilka Kirova. Image from My Modern Met
A photo today from the end of February. Avalus found a bit of broken ice and tells us,
really comically broken ice. I don’t know why but I really find it funny.
©Avalus, All rights reserved.
Now that my world is turning green again, I can say with a smile that ice is very photogenic, and this patch reminds me of Charlie Brown’s jagged striped shirt.
I have a fifty tits of grey post lined up, but a quick interlude about predators, social birds, and cooperation.
I think I didn’t mention it here, but this winter, I started leaving walnuts out for the crows – leftovers from years past that we found in the storage room, but still good. To be honest, this started when I noticed a ragtag group of corvids (crows, jays and magpies – not explaining the word ‘corvid’, all three were members of this loose affiliation of walnut aficionados) eating the few nuts we had straight from the tree. It was a small crop anyway, so I don’t feel too bitter about it…
Getting rid of the evidence on the neighbours’ roof…
(c) rq, all rights reserved
Thief, caught red-beaked. (c) rq, all rights reserved
Just taking a stroll… (c) rq, all rights reserved
Anyway, I started feeding them through the cold snowy months, and while the jays and magpies haven’t been sticking around, there’s a small flock of 4 or 5 crows (family group?) that regularly cleans out the (much cheaper, if buying) peanuts.
The weather has been a rollercoaster these last weeks, with 20° four weeks ago and light snow over the last few days. What’s more, the weather changes every 10 minutes and 500 metres. And all of this while the first bumblebees are out, seeking nectar from the first flowers. Then they get hit by the snow and almost freeze to death. If I find them, I take them in for a snack and some warmth. They are gentle creatures and will snuggle in your hand.
Look at that tongue! Like a flying ant eater.
Avalus has a penchant for finding interesting things to photograph on his way to work. Here are a few colourful birds, and he says,
… a flock of birds I encountered on my way to work. Again, I have no idea what kind of bird they are.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
Well, Spring isn’t exactly here yet (we still have lots of snow), but it’s arrived in Germany, and Avalus is sharing and giving me hope.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
©Avalus, all rights reserved
©Avalus, all rights reserved
I love cats and these wonderful creations by Anne, Cranky Cat Lady are glorious.
Photos of my Mystical Cats from Lyn Belisle’s Mystical Cat Shamans class. The faces are her work (she does lovely ceramics) but the rest is mine. Leafy girl is Thera, Protector of Wild Things, the turquoise cat is Bast, my Mewse. Because you know how much cats love to help with your work. Lots of vintage bits and pieces, handmade paper, and beads. They’re pretty big, about 14″ tall, and I’m going to have to move stuff around so I can hang them.
Thera, ©Anne, Cranky Cat Lady
Bast, ©Anne, Cranky Cat Lady
Avalus took some good photos of this little guy, but he hasn’t been able to identify what type of bird this is. My bird guides are North American, so not really useful to identify a European species, but I bet that one of you can help us figure this out. Leave us a comment with your ideas.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
©Avalus, all rights reserved
©Avalus, all rights reserved
©Avalus, all rights reserved
Ahh, my friends, Spring is coming. We actually had a “heat wave”, with more than 20°C in February. Climate change will be no fun, but there’s nothing you can do about an early spring day but enjoy it. The pics here are a few weeks old, but I didn’t get around to post them. BTW, <b>Charly and rq</b>, the cranes are on their way. I sent them with greetings for you.
©Giliell, all rights reserved A little wet siskin
©Giliell, all rights reserved Not a siskin, but a wet yellowhammer
©Giliell, all rights reserved A female sparrow. We’ve got lots of them, but usually behind the house is tit territory and they keep t the hedges in front of the houses.
©Giliell, all rights reserved While taking those pic I thought “that’s actually the weather when the hawfinches used to come” and look who made her appearance.
And then we had a very rare visitor, and they didn’t want to stay for an extensive photo shooting, so I only got one halfway decent pic:
©Giliell, all rights reserved
If you ever wondered what the back of a sparrowhawk looked like…
From Avalus,
A muddy, frozen puddle by the roadside.
Boring, one might say.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
But, what interesting patterns in the ice, indicating the shrinking liquid underneath.
Let’s look closer.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
Structures emerge between the layers!
Let’s look even closer.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
The ice sheet that seemed so uniform from afar is structured, almost like cathedral glass, from many tiny crystals of ice.
Everywhere, there is beauty in the universe.
(This was pretty much my thought process when I came by that frozen puddle. That, and my cold feet, reminding me of my poor choice of shoes I took for that walk :D)