Wild Bird Wednesday

This cute little guy (although, from the lighter coloration I think it may be a little girl) ...  came to my birdie bath...a couple of weeks ago now...but, I didn't want to miss out on the Wednesday fun...even though it is already Thursday.

A baby sparrow...well, not really a baby, but still quite a young tyke; not much of a tail to speak of and so cute.

Don't forget... click on the picture to "biggify" ...you can sneak up a bit closer that way....

Eventually a young robin showed up as well.... and they shared.  Something most adult sparrows and robins don't seem to do .... funny how they get all territorial later in life.... hmmmm......

Now, I'm off to check out some birds on Wild Bird Wednesday.

Click on the pic below if you'd like to see some too....

City mouse or country mouse..

We live in a fairly big city...but, you'd never guess it by the wildlife that is close by.

We also live close to a city golf course that has a big culvert that runs under a highway to a big park area ... where people walk dogs, but where some deer always manage to survive as well.  I'm sure several don't make it but, I'm not even going to think about that part of life.  I like to think they all get big, strong and find somebody to love.

Like this little guy.  Look at those cute little velvety antlers... awww..

Somehow he got over or around some fencing and was in our cul de sac last week.   ...   I've seen him twice since and his little footy prints are on my lawn in the mornings and, in my garden....I must get up earlier so I can photograph him directly outside my window!  .. Well, maybe he comes in the night ... not the early a.m.... who knows... ....

Anyway... here are some fun shots of him that Mr. BV got while I got dressed ..I was still in my 'jammies.... and, then...a few more I got of him as I followed him from yard to yard ...til he got too far down the block...and, I felt a bit guilty playing paparazzi ... poor little guy...

Two days before that I had seen the same little guy on the 12th tee box on the golf course... hiding (sort of) and nibbling bushes there as well... he was doing the hiding and nibbling..not me.

Click on the pics to "biggify" ....

Good Fences

In Portugal once again.... where we holidayed a couple years ago.

This is the Quinta do Seixo...  in the Douro region of Portugal.  A very modern visitor centre for Sandeman port.  Even though it was not open for the season, there was staff there, and, they did open just for us..... we had our tour and then we tasted some port.  Several varieties of port....  and, of course, we bought a few bottles to take home.

This is their trademark motif...

I love this photo because it looks like two people dressed like the "Don" as they call him... they look like they are whispering to each other...

It is so weird how this photo turned out... it is actually the door handle (inside and out) on a clear glass door leading out onto the front area of the visitor centre...

... and, even though I stray a bit...there is a fence in the background...

Here is the story of "The Don" ..   taken from the Sandeman site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In 1928 George Massiot Brown was an artist working for the Lochend Printing company, who approached Sandeman for business.  Sandeman requested some designs for posters, and the remarkable silhouette of the Don was born.

Dressed like the Spanish caballeros de Jerez in a Portuguese student's cape and wide brimmed hat, the Don cuts a dark, dramatic figure within glass of ruby coloured Porto.

George Massiot Brown was well aware that French poster artists were very much in vogue, so signed his artwork as G. Massiot to hide his Scottish origins.

Little did he know that The Don would be the very first iconic logo for a wine.  Recognized throughout the world, The Don represents the mystery and sensuality that communicates the Sandeman brand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

............ and, here are a few more fences ..although the fences were barely there.. some fine wire and posts ...

A short wall that surrounds the visitor centre... just below steps from which you look down upon the river Douro and terraced hillsides of grapes..

View from the other side of the centre..

... another cement wall...

and, a stop on the way out to get a better shot of the entrance to the centre...stone and cement ...

If you want to check out some other great fences, click on the button below and it will take you to Tex's site... the Run-a-Round Ranch

Wild Bird Wednesday

Made it!  And, I better hurry up... got a golf time in an hour or so...okay... maybe it won't upload to blogger before I leave....sigh...it is still sitting here with an error message saying nothing "published"..arrghhhhh!!!

The other week I was thinking about which bird I could capture next and even though I don't have a huge list to choose from here .... I did think about sneaking up closer on a Flicker.  They keep swooping down onto my neighbour's front yard. He has a big infestation of ants...in his lawn.  Actually...those Flickers were enjoying it all over his front yard, not just at the edge of the sidewalk where they usually dig a lot.

But, then... I noticed some movement just outside my front window the next day...oooh... quick, the camera!!  I got it and crawled closer to the window on my knees... and, both of us stopped dead... he looked at me....I looked at him.... and, snapped this one!

So cute.

He was looking right at me!  A male Northern Flicker...probably still a youngish one... that throat patch doesn't look quite coloured in yet...

After he checked me out and I didn't budge an inch.... he must have figured I was a figment of his imagination and... he continued on with his investigation of my sidewalk area... picking in the crevices and having a great time.

I had to snap about 20 shots to get one of him with his head lifted.  He was so quick...up..down...peck, peck, peck....up, look... down!   Man... my finger got a workout...but, finally got one of him upright... whew.....
Thanks little guy....

Head over to Wild Bird Wednesday to see some amazing birds.  I am always wowed by the colourful ones that inhabit warmer climates.... wish I could see some of those in real life...

Good Fences

Totally missed Wild Bird Wednesday.... and, Thursday's Good Fences has disappeared too.... hmmmm....it's Friday already!!

My excuse is the same...   there is just too much going on...most of it not all that much fun.

But, I want to put in my two cents worth of fencing ... cuz I do love me a good fence, or "stuff" going on around one!

I'm taking you on holiday with me this time.  C'mon....

To Portugal.  This is a desert type flower that we saw growing in sand at the tops of cliffs near the ocean in various areas we visited.  It had bright yellows and lovely pinks for flowers.
This is a little beach town close to Nazare...oh, I hope Maria shows up to remind me of the name of the town...

UPDATE:: okay...got it!  Maria wrote to say ....it is  'Vale das Paredes'.  It is between Nazaré and S. Pedro de Moel.

Thanks Maria...

... and, when you get to the bottom of all those steps... this is where you are...

What area we waiting for??  Let's all go !!! .....

I'm linking up to Run-a-round Ranch for Good Fences... check 'em out sometime!~  lots of great fences and traveling and fun stuff.
Just click on this and go directly there......