Part 1: RAIN and more birding

I knew it would happen. I shouldn't have done the windows yesterday!

Today it was RAINING cats and dog! Again. UGH!

But before I started on something more sensible, I had to check out the activity at the feeders. I didn't rain that hard yet.

Yep! Some birds were there.

First I sat behind the window (on the right) only to find out that the background was too bright against the grey sky.

For obvious reasons I didn't want to use the flash light. 

This is the result I got within half an hour enduring the cold.A nuthatch, chicadee and sparrows turned out to be the less shy birds around the feeders.

Song Sparrow

Black Capped Chickadee

Red Breasted Nuthatch (rather wet)

In the distance on the lawn a Northern Flicker was about to drill holes.

He seems to think: "UHOH- I am on camera!

After that the rain just got too bad and I had to retract into the house and got back to work. 

I used the rest of the day to sort out some stuff in the storage room. Tomorrow is garbage-pick-up-day. 

To identify the birds i use a page called: all about birds . It also gives you the opportunity to listen into the songs of the bird you are looking at. Once I sat on the porch and 

screen-shot of the page to demonstrate where sound samples can be found

listened to the "mew call" of a catbird on my laptop. Few minutes later one of the real birds was around in the shrubs and answering the call. It probably wondered who and where the intruder was. Funny!

Distracted from cleaning the windows

The day was somewhat sunny when I started domestic work: window cleaning. UGH.
The long winter left the windows covered with a thin film of salt grime from the sea and it showed in the sunshine! No way to get around the task.
I did the living room windows first.

Then I got distracted. :))
An inspiration hit me when I looked at this piece of driftwood I recently gathered on the beach.

It would become a simple DIY bird feeder! A feeder that I could place closer to one of the newly cleaned windows. 

A long nail was placed in the middle of the wool, a parasol pole was banged into the ground - Tadaa!

I had a new feeder.

This encouraged me to make another feeder. A terracotta flower pot saucer, some strings and an discarded basket. Another hanging DIY hanging bird feeder.

While I filled it with some black sunflower seeds the first curious chickadee circled already around.
A minute later I was inside and behind the camera.
There - the first guest was already contemplating the food offerings!

Now I just have to wait and see what other guests will come.