My World Tuesday - Woodstock, Ontario

This is a "drive-by" of Dundas Street United Church. Note to self: I really need to get better shots around the city, this doesn't do the building justice.

Please visit That's My World

Okay, I brought this on myself.......

On Saturday I raked our front lawn. Many of my blogging and Facebook friends who live in areas that still have snow cover were astonished.

This is what we woke to this morning......many would say it's my own fault...

Poor June Cleaver was really hunkered down on her nest. I hope the weather warms up before the chicks hatch, by my calculations it could be this coming weekend. Brrrrr.

Rainy day at the feeders

Why do birds flock (pardon the pun) to feeders when the weather is miserable? Whether it's rain or snow, we are almost guaranteed to have visitors at the feeders when we have precipitation. We've had many visitors today, this Purple Finch was at the feeders about just before noon. As you can see, male Purple Finches are not purple - more of a raspberry colour.
Here's a view of our weather...

Skywatch Friday

I took this photo early Tuesday morning from our veranda, just as a line of Canada Geese were passing through the bottom right corner of the shot.

Thanks again to the Skywatch Team:Klaus Sandy Ivar Wren Fishing Guy Louise
Please visit Skywatch Friday for more stunning vistas.

Who was more surprised?!

This morning Gray, our bird-watching cat, made a mad dash to the livingroom window - Mama dove had flown off the nest for her break and he was attempting to see where she'd gone. Hmmm, I thought "empty nest, and Papa isn't there yet, I wonder...." So I grabbed the ladder (glad I hadn't put away yet) and my camera hoping to get a shot of the nest before Papa arrived to take the day shift. I'm not sure who was more surprised when he landed and I was on the other side of the glass, six feet up in the air with a camera pointed at him. As you can see, I did manage to take a quick picture of the two eggs in the nest - it's poor quality, but I wasn't about to stick around and risk them abandoning the nest as Mourning Doves are known to do.
Our weather is much more springlike (translation: foggy) than it was yesterday and we're up from -3C yesterday to 8C today - there is hope!

Curiosity and the cat

While we were watching tv last night there was a bit of a clatter just outside the livingroom. Geoff turned the hall light on to see what was up and it was Gray - up a ladder in fact. Apparently he decided to see how close he could get to the dove nest and the fact that we'd left the ladder in the hall after changing light bulbs figured into his plan very nicely.

It's a good thing he's an indoor cat and the nest is outside the window above the front door.

Life's never dull in this house......

ABC Wednesday - "J" is for Junco

During the winter months lots of Slate Coloured Dark-eyed Juncos visit our feeders. These little guys are adorable, they hop back and forth in the snow in a sort of scratching manner looking for seeds.ABC Wednesday is lots of fun, thanks again Denise. Take a look everyone!

Sunday morning - My World Tuesday

Early this morning I took this series of photos at the Community Complex / Fanshawe College site here in Woodstock. It was quite odd the way the morning light peeking through the clouds reflected on the water looking more like starlight than daylight.

I could hear lots of birds but most were tucked away in evergreens, this Red-winged Blackbird was an exception

I could see him and he was singing his heart out!

Then I saw this pair of Canada Geese going in for a landing on the pond

where they had the place to themselves

It's still looking very brown and dull around the pond

but here's a hint that colour will be everywhere soon! And because these were taken "in my world", I'm submitting this post to My World Tuesday.

Many thanks to the MyWorld Team:Klaus Sandy Ivar Wren Fishing Guy Louise

nest update (family life of the Cleavers)

I suspect there are eggs in the nest as June spent her first overnight there after a week of intensive construction. The Mourning Dove nesting pattern tends to be that Dad spends from morning to afternooon on the nest, Mom is there the remainder of the time. This first shot was taken last night, the first night on the nest, so it's June.


this second shot was taken this morning so it is probably Ward.

Dove update etc.

For the record, we refer to our resident Mourning Doves as June and Ward (Cleaver). At this point these two (eating God knows what in the neighbour's driveway) have been building their nest above our front door for a week. Shortly after I took this photo it started to snow so I'm hoping I won't find eggs in the nest yet for awhile.
While they were eating in the driveway, the little guy below was apparently still finding nuts he'd stashed last fall. Geoff refers to squirrels as "rodents with good PR". I like them more than he does.....

Skywatch Friday

This is a shot from last August. I'm reeeeeally looking forward to spring and the greening of the world. Happy Skywatching everyone.



Thanks again to theSkywatch® Team:Klaus Sandy Ivar Wren Fishing Guy Louise

For Judith

My blogging friend, Judith, is a Salvation Army officer in England so I've posted this photo so she can see the local Salvation Army Community Church here in Woodstock.

Judith has a great blog, Judith's Quiet Moments. Have a great day Judith!

ABC Wednesday - "I" is for Idle

Photographic proof that cats are idle.....I took these photos of Gray within a span of less than two minutes.

For more alphabetic enterainment, please visit ABC Wednesday, hosted by Denise.

My World Tuesday - Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum

While out for a drive yesterday we stopped by the site of the Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum. This building is the Blacksmith Shop..
the weathervane is pretty cool.

Please visit My World Tuesday for more fun locations.

Black-capped Chickadee

Waiting near our feeders for it's turn to chow down.

First photos of the season

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, our Mourning Doves are back. This morning they are continuing to build their twig nest above our front door. Fortunately there is a transom window above the door so we have front row seats. In this photo you can see the dove peeking in at us.

Here's a closer view.
This pair of birds kept us (especially Gray) entertained from April to the end of September last year. It will be interesting to see what this year will bring.

They're back!

If you've been following my blog for awhile you will remember our nesting Mourning Doves from last summer. Well, it looks like they're back! Yesterday morning Geoff called me at the office to tell me that the two doves were above our front door and they were assembling twigs (moving in....). Last year they raised 3 pairs of chicks in two locations, the one above our front door and also in one of our hanging baskets.

Today they were busy on the walkway near our feeders. I think the male was strutting his stuff - well, flashing his tail feathers

and puffing himself up, probably as part of his "look at me" promotion. So while, they haven't actually taken up residence yet, I suspect they will once the weather is a little warmer.
Stay tuned!

PhotoHunt Saturday - Four

When my little friend Morgan sucks her thumb you can only see her four fingers.

Morgan's twin, Grace, is playing hide-and-seek with her thumb so all we see is her four little fingers.

Skywatch Friday, too - the view from here

This was the view from my office window this morning.

See the posting below for yesterday's sky.

Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday - how I started my day

As I walked away from my car and towards the office this morning this was my view.


But it gets better.......5 minutes later this was the view from my office window.


Happy Skywatching everyone. Please take the time to visit Skywatch Friday, there will be lots to see there as of 7:00pm Greenwich Mean Time today. Thanks again to the Team: Klaus Sandy Ivar Wren Fishing Guy Louise

As seen driving from London to Woodstock

On the way home from our office Team meeting yesterday I took a few drive-by shots (yes, someone else was driving - my co-worker Anne). It was a wet, moody day. In the second and third photos there's quite a bit of "movement" visible.
Can you tell that I'm easily amused.............?