The Buffleheads migrate through

Yikes almighty, I haven't posted in two weeks! OK, I will try to be more diligent (I've set a goal of posting at least once a week). So today will be mostly some bird watching, with a short "coming attractions" teaser. Meet Mr. and Ms. Bufflehead - These cute little diving ducks migrate through in the spring and fall, sometimes staying for a while before moving on. The female has been here for several weeks, but then, suddenly she had a male companion, and it was a beautiful day - and so I had to go down and take some photos (I did not spend more than an hour crouched in the wetland, getting my shoes and pant legs completely sodden, trying to get closer by hiding behind the swan as he ate his morning grains. I wouldn't be that crazy. Really.). Well, Boris the Swan was not at all sure how he felt about being used as a birdwatching blind, but he graciously put up with it. 

So they spent a long time taking baths and then doing wing stretches, and power-flapping across the pond -  and then, after a bit of diving for snacks, they were gone. But not truly gone, they've been back every morning since then! 

In other bird sightings (no photos, sorry, you'll just have to trust me on these) 1. We had a bald eagle perched in a tree right next to the barn! He and I were so surprised to see each other that I could only point and stammer "Look! Look! Look!" and he flapped off clumsily and landed badly a few trees down, on a branch that was so small that it bent down suddenly and he fell off and fluttered frantically and finally zoomed away through the woods. Way to be cool, Mr. Eagle! 2. We've had a Raven qworking around our property all winter, and now he's got a "friend". One day as they were flying overhead, he did an amazing "falling out of the sky like a tumbling leaf" stunt, finally spreading his wings and swooping off at the last minute (he's something of a show off). A little later they both flew over carrying bits of fluff in their beaks (nest material? probably). 

And now, coming attractions (future blog posts, some sooner than later): more quilting class blocks (see those quarter square triangles?) the fractal stripe spinning gets knitted into a sweater (yummy) some tablet weaving, some Kumihimo cord braiding (photos coming soon), and of course, last but certainly not least, the dear wee beasties