Fourteen days and counting

I'm almost certain the thrush is still here. Kelly Bryan came over and banded hummingbirds so I didn't sit and observe, but the grapes disappeared at the usual rate, about an average of one per hour in the morning. And I guess now that the bird seems to have its reserves replenished, not in the afternoon. We'll see. It probably arrived here very hungry and got meager sustenance from the local berries. So I imagine it took a few days of grapes before it could afford to go to being its normal secretive self. Good for the bird, not so good for observation. It never would eat cranberries though. If it plucked one by mistake, it tossed it on the ground. Go figure!

Kelly banded 4 juvenile male Anna's Hummingbirds. I had hoped for more. He thought he heard the thrush, and I thought I saw its silhouette being chased by the silhouette of a mockingbird. At least the mockingbird hasn't recognized the grapes as food..... YET!

A short visit by a Common Grackle. I never could tell them from the Great-tailed or Brewer's Blackbirds, so I'm determined to learn the difference. Hopefully, posting a picture of the grackle will help. Yes, Kelly ID'd it for me, or I wouldn't have known. I think I could eventually figure out the adult males. It's the females and juveniles that confuse me.

Also got to enjoy a visiting Golden Eagle for awhile. Just wish I could get better photos of raptors in flight. But what a wingspan!

UPDATE: At 6 PM I gave up my sporadic watch to see the thrush. Then out of curiosity at 7 PM I went down to the oasis to see if any grapes were missing. Yup, 2 were gone. Little rascal! It does not want to be seen, that's for sure. It's not called secretive, a skulker, shy, and retiring for no reason, but this is extreme. I've got a strategy planned for tomorrow morning though.

Halloween treat? Or trick?

I spent the whole day inside my photo blind trying to get a shot of the thrush with a grape.

The one time I saw it come in for a grape it happened so fast all I got a photo of was the grapes. That was around 11 AM. Then it didn't return anymore, maybe because it figured out that I was inside the blind. Don't know. I saw it in a tree at 4 PM and never saw it again. I feel certain if it hadn't left, it would have come within view of the grapes anyway. So, I'm thinking my orange and black Halloween bird left on the 13th day of  his visit. At least it isn't Friday.

     

Or maybe it'll be here tomorrow. I know I'm not going to sit in the blind waiting for it to show up ever again. Had all that I want. Cramped and staring out a slit. 

A pair of Northern Flickers showed up today.

Ch #22 * Contemporary Colour Combo *

Good morning fellow crafters

Welcome to our new challenge for November  not long now till Christmas & a very warm welcome to all our new followers great to have you on board.

Thank you to all those who joined in with last months challenge * Traditional * gorgeous creations were made as always although a few were a bit naughty and not really traditional 

Please check out our winners post bellow.

Sadly we have had to say goodbye to Wendy who was only with us for a couple of months but due to personal reasons has stepped down but we wish her well and hope to see her again soon in blogland

Our new challenge for this month is
* Contemporary colour combo *

We want to see contemporary colours this month & as always don't forget your project must be for Christmas & can be cards, tags, bookmarks, scrap layouts or anything you like as we are a multi crafts blog.

Our fab sponsors for this month are of course our regular monthly sponsor
  Joanna Sheen 

With a prize of a £10.00 voucher for 1 lucky winner

And our second prize is from 

Di's Digi's 

With a prize of a $10 voucher for 1 lucky winner

PRIZES MUST BE CLAIMED WITHIN 14 DAYS

Here are what the team have created for some inspiration

HAZEL

DEBS

SANDRA

JACKIE

MEL

JO 

SHAZ

LESLEY

DEBBIE

Stunning creations as always Ladies x

Well that's it for this month

Please pop back November 30th to see who our lucky winners and top 3 are

To join in please read the rules in pages at top then leave your link to your post with the little blue frog we can then pop along and see what you have created.
Hugs