Monday 30 April 2018

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker & birthday

We have a pair courting! The mate was on another branch. I've been seeing them more often. Soon, I'll have to put the feeders away.

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Yellow-belled Sapsuckers perch upright on trees, leaning on their tails like other woodpeckers. They feed at sapwells—neat rows of shallow holes they drill in tree bark. They lap up the sugary sap along with any insects that may get caught there. Sapsuckers drum on trees and metal objects in a distinctive stuttering pattern.

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

In the meantime, Friday PD Day, Caitlin took the girls to one of my favourite spots, Stoney Swamp Conservation Area. We used to live near there, and we'd go often. Now she takes the girls! They found a garter snake.

Garter snake from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

They visited this weekend, and we did Izzy's birthday. I made a Cockeyed Cake, from the I Hate To Cook Book (1960), by Peg Bracken. I made it in a round pan. Grampa can eat this, no dairy, yeast, or eggs! Grampa and Jos were in charge of putting the candles on.


Josee and I took a trek down to the 'meadow', which is more of a pond, with all our rain.

7 comments:

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Well happy birthday Izzy! Spring has definitely arrived your way... and it's even showing its petticoats over here! YAM xx

William Kendall said...

Happy Birthday to Izzy!

It's been a long time since I've been out to Stoney Swamp.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

lovely snake (I'm not being sarcastic). Party looks amazing ... I used to own that cookbook -- I bet my daughter has it now. Will have to look for that when we get back to Oregon.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

I remember her recipe for 'long lost mousse' ... we loved that dessert.

Olga said...

I'm going to look for that cookbook . . . I like to cook but my daughter definitely does not!

Red said...

Sapsuckers have a fascinating and beautiful courting dance.

Anvilcloud said...

I was wondering about the name, but I think I did spot a faint hint of yellow.