Chasing the Perfect Picture

 I think it was just this winter that I learned that the Anna's Hummingbird overwinters here.  I've had various feeders hung right outside the dining room window, and just love seeing them land and feed.   

Earlier in the week I set the camera on a tripod right next to the window, but sort of tucked out of sight, and have managed to get some decent shots.

My usual spot with the laptop is to sit at the dining room table. I get the reflection of the feeder on the screen and can see when 'Anna' arrives.  I'm able to get up and move out of sight and hold the shutter down and see what I get.

This feeder is probably the best.  I like the clear base so that I can see the level of sugar water, and the lack of a large bottle makes for more humming bird viewing, as the bottle doesn't get in the way. 

And one day I got a humming bird tongue, or at least part of it! 

And a bit more of it here.  And now you really need to google 'hummingbird tongues'.  It's pretty fascinating!

One morning just as the sun was coming up

And then there were two!

That was pretty exciting!  I've never seen two birds at the feeder at the same time.  Only once have I seen two birds near the feeder, but never on it

I think they are both females, as their colours are pretty muted

Incoming again!

This makes me thing of those shots of puffins flying back in to their nests on the cliffs.

On the weather scene, we've had a return to winter.  We've had snow several times since Valentine's Eve.  And we were just starting to think Spring.

Last Sunday was wicked with quite a wind chill.

A pretty day though with fresh snow and sunshine

Snow soccer and fancy footwork

Luna and her favourite (only) sheep.

And Rupert Rabbit.  

Rupert lives somewhere around the back of the barn. Maybe under the old chicken coop or the fifth wheel trailer or amongst the junk in the leanto.  Rupert is allowed to stay as long as the garden damage is minimal.  If Rupert turns out to be Ruby instead, I'm sure there will be a change of plans.  So far so good, but Spring is coming....and we know what rabbits do in the Spring. Last summer, as the story goes, a bunch of rabbits escaped/were let go, whatever.  Just across the road, a batch of black babies appeared.  Maybe Rupert is one of the babies, but one day a grown rabbit appeared behind the barn, and has been there ever since.  Rupert was given pieces of apple when it was cold and some bits of hay, and of course since he hung out in the chicken field a lot of the time, he had access to Ramona's hay and could even get into the chicken coop for feed if he wanted.  Just lately he has actually come up to my hand and taken a piece of apple and I have been able to touch him with my finger.  I'm trying to not get too involved.....ha!

Right now Abbotsford has snow in the forecast.  Last I heard there were several inches of new snow.  I'm in Ontario, where it is slightly warmer and a bit drier. 

Today my sister bought 450 square feet of laminate flooring, and in the next few days we are going to install it in three bedrooms and on a landing.

Wish us luck!