(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({ google_ad_client: "ca-pub-1163816206856645", enable_page_level_ads: true }); Northview Diary: Sunshine

Monday, June 11, 2012

Sunshine


 Breakfast biscuits..so good with rhubarb sauce

Bird species #49 purple finch. 
I think they are nesting in my favorite spruce and they spend a lot of time there



Yes, yes. Don't know how long it is going to last, but I'll take it and gladly. It was supposed to pour last night and didn't. Ditto today. The boss baled some hay yesterday and he and Jade got it up in the mow last night. It had been rained on a few times, but was still not too bad. Glad to have it anyhow.


The boy was home from Saturday night until yesterday evening. That was nice. He helped with milkings, gave me and Beck a morning off and was generally handy and helpful. Fixed Lizzie's truck for her too, new shocks, brakes, etc.


The nice weather yesterday gave me a chance to sit on the porch and bird watch for a while. It was great, about like a tennis match, with so many flying back and forth and up and down the driveway. In just a few minutes I saw or heard: kestrel, common crow, common grackle, European starling, Red-winged blackbird, willow flycatcher, eastern phoebe, grey catbird, American robin, yellow warbler, common yellow throat, indigo bunting, house finch, purple finch, gold finch, blue jay, killdeer, mourning dove, rock pigeon, chimney swift, dozens of cedar waxwings, house sparrows (Sassenachs, bah humbug), Baltimore oriole, northern cardinal and probably more that I am not thinking of just now. Someone with a better knowledge of songs could probably pick up at least five more. There are a lot of things singing out there that I just don't recognize.


Up to 49 species now, what with the obliging pair of house finches and the hairy woodpecker that showed up at the suet Friday. I figure to hit at least 51 when the gulls come back or maybe see something interesting out on the lawn. There are a few common ones that just haven't shown up yet and they may. We have bobolinks, harriers, brown thrashers and several other up in the field that I am not counting because I am confining myself to what I can see from the house and barn yard. Usually both smaller birds are seen here sometime over the summer so.....and there is always the chance for ducks or a bald eagle.

8 comments:

June said...

We have lots of brown thrashers this year. I don't remember ever noticing them before!

Caroline said...

Marianne, one of the blogs I read is from England, they treasure those Sassenachs as dooryard birds! I would be glad to ship them mine, how about you?
Breakfast biscuits with rhubarb sauce sound yummy, especially when you love rhubarb and you haven't had breakfast yet!

joated said...

Heck of a list for your backyard count!

And you dare put up pictures of biscuits and mention rhubarb sauce without posting a recipe? Shame on you! (Unless, of course it's that famous "pinch of this and dab of that" and "use to taste" sort.)

Anonymous said...

I think I heard a woodcock peening last night after dark. Could this be so? I think it is the sound you told me was a woodcock.
Love Mom

Ericka said...

I'm a new convert to rhubarb. Would you share your rhubarb sauce recipe, please?

lisa said...

To bad we didn't see that many birds during the yearly bird count!

threecollie said...

June, we used to have a lot of them down here by the house, but now I usually only see them up in the heifer woods. I think I saw one on the lawn yesterday. Hope he hangs around!

Caroline, all of them, every single, noisy, dirty, little brown nuisance! And I do love the combination. We have been having them for a couple weeks now off and on and I froze some rhubarb sauce for winter.

Joated, thanks, and that is just one morning's collection. It is exactly that kind of recipe. My aunt taught me to make it. Dice rhubarb and simmer it slowly with just enough water to keep it from burning. Add sugar to taste and cook it down a bit. I also put in cinnamon. I like mine quite sweet, almost like jam, with quite a lot of cinnamon. Others prefer it a bit more tart.

Mom, it is late in the season for them, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised. Everything is all out of order down here this year. Cool if you did! Love you!

Ericka, will do, although it barely qualifies as one. lol

Lisa, wouldn't that be something! Think I saw two different number 50s yesterday, brown thrasher and pileated woodpecker. going to be keeping my eyes open for a return performance.

Cathy said...

49 bird species and your dear son.

Life is good a Northview.