Sue Thomas

I’m only privileged to the presence of Warblers during Spring and Autumn, as they don’t nest here, only pass through. Warblers offer wonderful diversity, with more than 50 species in North America. They also offer interesting challenges , with completely different patterns in Spring and Autumn. ID ing them in the Autumn can be a real challenge. This one is a young Autumn Myrtle’s Warbler which I took on the 26th Sept last year. The Myrtle species has a distinctive white throat. The bird you have showcased is a Spring mating male. I have never used the Merlin app. I’m sure it can do a good a job, but it’s not infallible. I believe it knows which birds are near to you, based on sightings submitted by bird watchers. The app can be helpful, but it’s not diagnostic. I’m not saying that it didn’t correctly ID the bird. To use it in order to create lovely scrap pages, with interesting information, it has served your purpose. The bird groups I use, doesn’t allow any comments, where the Merlin app ID’d the bird. They say it’s not a proper or acceptable documentation.

Over the course of this past winter, and previous winters I have taken no end of photos of the delighful Chickadees at the National Parks where I snowshoe, and hike. The background photo is one of last year's apple blossoms. When I hear them I get out the seed, many will come and take food from my hand. They have become accustomed to me. I can only take photos of them feeding using my mobile photo, which pretty much basic, and takes crappy pics. My camera is to cumbersome to use one handed.

Slowly the native migratory birds are returning. THis one is a white throated Sparrow. I'd say that all native sparrows are considered song birds. I haven't done a proper frame in quite a while. Colours used came from the photo. One of last night's little projects.

What can I say Mary, other than your pages are exquisitely created.

It''s quite uncanny how the topography of your area would pass for where my tree is situated in Wales. It brought back many wonderful memories of me riding my pony as a child past that tree almost daily checking the sheep.

Would you mind telling me where this photo was taken, as it's extremely similar to a view of a tree where I grew up. It may also be a coincidence, as you have a popular Welsh Christian name. Llanbad, overlooking Bryna, mid Glamorgan.

A sea of blue as seen through Nell's ears. I ride the tramlines through the crops in the summer. You can just see the farm on the horizon. Looking at the field it is rather dirty, with the invasive yellow sow thistle. No the flowers don't give off any perfume. The flowers I showcased is a macro shot from my garden.

Should this be your last project, then I would say, that you have ended on a grand note. The page is perfect. I initially thought you had created the heart paper, using the exploding cutout , from the lab 13-9 (I think) I suppose you could have selected some of the hearts, promoted to a layer, then delete. Just a thought.

I love everything about the title!

Flax flowers. Using adjustment layers.

I remember it well. At the time I regarded your comment as the ultimate compliment, to be mistaken for a photographer for a magazine, and magazine cover designer. Well, like the majority of North Americans, you call them gophers, so yes, it's a Richardson's ground squirrel. There are gophers, like the pocket gopher, which has external cheek pouches, for carrying food, and bedding. They are all rodents.

You have created yourself an absolutely superb card. Happy Birthday young lady!!!! Enjoy the journey, and savour every moment spent with your family. Creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Bumble bees are active in all weather, the queens are the first to emerge in early Spring, and the last in Autumn. Many bees are temperature sensitive for emerging. I've already see some bumbles, but I have a feeling that it is because it's unusually warm. I don't have as much as a dandelion yet. The Prairie crocus will be the first to bloom, any day now. For the bumbles I use tiny bottle caps, with a small amount of diluted honey. The mourning cloak, Compton tortoiseshell and Red Admirals are out and about, for now they feed on the sap of trees. I spread over ripe bananas on the tree tunks for them, or halve an orange or two. I had to put out another bird bath today, as the Robins are enjoying having a bath. I empty them at dusk, as it still freezes at night. The norm is, but doesn't always apply to all species, the males are far more colourful. The Male Merlin is much darker than the female.

Its my pleasure! I have a pair of great horned Owls out in the trees, which I have showcased and posted on numerous occassions They don't nest here, they come to dine most nights on the many small mammals. Asfor my friend, well she didn't know what species of owl they were until I educated her.

I also have a Merlin which arrived 8 days ago, a female. Much to my delight she is picking off the house sparrows. The bird baths are out and being used. Yesterday I brought out the leaf cutter bee logs. Although they won't emerge for a while yet.

I see that Ann has posted a photo of Great horned Owlets, taken by her friend. This is a page I created and posted back in the summer of 2019, showcasing one of the two Owlets that I documented and observed at a friend's hay barn not to far away. The Owls have nested there for over 10 years. Many of you won't have seen this page.

I'm two days early posting week 15. I read that Susan is waiting for the Robins to return to her area. Several arrived over this past weekened, along with several small flocks of Juncos, a Male Northern Flicker, and a handful of Song Sparrows. The long awaited songs of birds has once again begun, breaking the long silence of winter out in the trees. Shot taken on Monday afternoon. On their arrival, I promptly put out blueberry jam, and berries.

Beautiful shot! Chaffinches are one of the most widespread birds in the UK. This one is a handsome male.

They provide endless entertainment. I appreciate the compliment. The one fold had to have more lift, to take into account the tag being under it.

To quote Carole " a great starting point to display photos............," Once again she is right! I edited the one template and created what Carole demonstrated in, I think was the 4th project in the masterclass using grids. The paper with Carole's corner punch is a paper template. The others are my own. I did rotate the stipes, but it didn't look right to me, so rotated back to how I created it. The tag is one I made a while back. Wood tokens, and a wood burning tag. The heart paperclip is my own, which I colourized, using the sculpture tool. (silver) It doesn't really look like it, but the wood burning tag is actually not only under the folded paper, but also it's shadow.

Thank you Julie, no, it's not ticked off. This one was calling to others, as it's the breeding season. Males can be ferocious towards each other over territory and females. I have shots of them fighting, and of them licking their bloody wounds. They have the teeth and claws to cause harm. They will also make warning calls, of potential predators.

I couldn't agree more. I saved the templates after converting the photo slots to masks.

Another excellent masterclass today. When I read what it was going to be about, I knew what I was going to showcase. I used the first layout which Carole demonstrated.

Edited. folded corner on the photo.