Tuesday, December 9, 2008

The Pink-butts are Back!!!

...the Pink-butts are Back!!!

In my excitement to show you...
I just snapped a quick photo through double-pained glass
hung with bird-netting!

This is the first time this year I've seen them this year. So far, it appears 'only' to be the Gray-crowned variety; last year I had all three versions. Oh my...I just love these birds.

It's nearly noon, 25 degrees outside, at least 18" of new snow on the ground and...it's still snowing. Gawd I love this time of year!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so excited for you. Wish I'd see mine again, but I think they've headed east and south. :-(

Beverly said...

Ah, I bet you see them again, I know they like it high. One thing about the ones which visit here...it's always only in the mornings. Odd huh? Perhaps they only come down when it's snowing...and just to eat...and then head back up the mountains to roost.

But yeah...I'm tickled pink. I've also seen a couple different sparrows (easier to ID now that I know more about them (AND my neighbor has seen them too)), as well as that Red-tailed Hawk.

Oh...and the Red-winged Blackbirds are back. Funny, this time of year they keep the red under wraps!

Granny Fran said...

Thanks for the photo. I would sure like to see some of these at my feeder in Florence, but so far none have come down this low. I do get some of the mountain birds down here when it is snowing. In the spring, when we have the up slope snows we get flocks of Mountain and Western Blue Birds. They sure brighten up a gray day. La Veta is such a gorgeous place. I'm a quilter and 2 well known quilters live there, Ricky Timms, and Judith Montano. Ricky's web shows are filmed there.

Beverly said...

Hey Fran, I recognize you from Gary's site: Colorado Birder. Thanks for visiting!

Yes, La Veta is a thousand or so feet higher than is Florence (I had to look that up!); we’re at just over 7000’. I discovered Rosy-finches in my yard earlier this year, in February and March. You can find the pictures I took then by clicking: here…when I was utterly entranced by them. I still am, and only wish I had a better camera and newer glass through which to shoot them…photographically! LOL

I don’t believe I’ve ever seen either of your Blue-birds here…though I have seen them near here. I think they just aren’t crazy about all the birds in my yard?

You’re right again, La Veta is knock-dead gorgeous and yes, it does seem to be a quilter’s Mecca! You may have ‘met’ my friend Polly at Gary’s place too…she’s another excellent quilter. She just got into a la-de-da quilting show in Houston. Her quilt didn’t win, but it sure is fabulous and what an honor to be chosen to participate at that show! (I don’t remember the name of it, sorry)

Did you know Timms is also an accomplished musician? He’s doing another Christmas show: Christmas in a Small Town December 18-20th. It’s to be held at his gallery and will feature arrangements from his Christmas CD, plus new material. You can read more info about it, (and his quilting) and listen to some samples of his music here.

Merry Christmas Fran, and thanks again for stopping by!

Beverly said...

Okay…I don’t know why this is, but links inside comments are a real bugaboo! First it says I cannot use HTML code, but lets me create a link with only the ‘www’ part…sans the ‘http’ part. So, I correct all the links with just the www parts.

THEN my friend points out, some links don’t work…and they seem to be coded just fine…but Blogger adds ‘http://blogger.com,’ to the front of the link…thereby disallowing the link.

BUT…only to some of the links I try to create; not all of them! I think Blogger is trying to keep links out of comments…but I don’t know why some make it and others don’t!

GRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

OKAY…in this thread, I see my first link, above worked, but two more didn’t. OK…you can find more of my Rosy-finch stuff here:

http://ruralchatter.blogspot.com/search/label/Rosy-Finch

Sorry, you’ll have to copy and paste the link into your browser.

And you can find Ricky Timms site here:

http://www.rickytims.com/Quilt_Main.php

But you’ll to copy and paste again. I’m very sorry I can’t work this out.

RuthieJ said...

So according to my Sibley Guide to Western Birds, your three varieties of Rosy Finches are the Gray-Crowned, Brown-Capped, and Black, right? They are sure pretty little birds. Are they quite "chatty" at the feeders too (like house finches or goldfinches?)

Beverly said...

Hiya Ruthie,

I had to check on their size after you called them 'little'. LOL They seem like such huge lunkers next to siskins and goldfinch! They're only about 25% larger, but I thought they were as big as Evening Grosbeaks (they are not!) Anyway, I've been hearing a 'peep' that I associate with Evening Grosbeaks, but wonder if it's coming from these big finches. I don't recall them being particularly chatty, though. Perhaps that's because I've not had a chance to watch them all that much. I'll keep a better eye out!

And yes...three varieties; all of which I believe I've had here.

I'm going to try a link AGAIN:

For more of the visiting Rosy-finches I've had visit, click here And if that doesn't work copy and paste this into your browser:
http://ruralchatter.blogspot.com/search/label/Rosy-Finch

I've yet to determine why some links work and some don't. I check carefully; it seems capricious on the part of Blogger.

Mel said...

Hola Beverly,
No snow here in Lima, EVER! So, it's great to be able to see it thru friend's blogs!
Beautiful birds!!
Hugs from Peru,
Mel

Unknown said...

Congratulations on getting your "Pink butts"! I may have to come down sometime and photograph them! I am a December baby and I really love the snow too! The bigger the blizzard the happier I am!

Beverly said...

Well, at about 2 hours apart (on a sunny day), we’re practically neighbors! I’m game if you are…though the drive could be more like 3-4 hours in a snow-storm.

As you saw, I had them the one day recently…but not today and we’ve had a bit of snow, too.

You might have noticed here that it was not till February and March that they came down on a more consistent schedule.

Le'me know! :)

Unknown said...

It sounds like Feb/Mar timeframe is better to come up and see them. Thanks for the invite!