Adult paint-by-numbers and bluebirds

this photo is from a magazine. All of the bluebirds here are juveniles except the male facing forward

my niece posted her painting recently. I was surprised as I thought her older sisters had most of the artistic talent. But it turns out she used a paint-by-numbers kit

my niece when she isn't painting

my new watercolor  I am thinking living room or dining room

I've gone the whole summer without seeing a bluebird. Seeing one is supposed to bring good luck. My workplace had put up several bluebird houses and they were successful at attracting one who I would see regularly. Haven't seen any since I retired so I can use some good luck.As it turns out the dead bird I photographed who I thought was an indigo bunting was a juvenile bluebird, who are much darker than the adults.

 

On my walk yesterday I came upon a flock of 4 male bluebirds! I did have my phone but I couldn't find them in my photo. They are sparrow sized (sparrows are their worst enemy; specially designed houses lack a perch so the clumsy sparrows can't come in).  According to my outdated bird book (ranges are shifting northward due to global warming), we are 300 miles north of its winter range but it is a strange year weatherwise. My friend 15 miles west saw some of them visit her feeder on the same day. Presumably they will only eat mealworms at the feeder but as insects are in short supply right now, they have to adjust. A woman in my cooking class builds bluebird houses. Maybe next spring I will have my own.

 

An inch of snow fell yesterday making me real popular with the avian set. 4 male cardinals perched within a few feet of each other on my snowy tree along with 2 females this morning but as they are quite territorial, I knew this wouldn't last long and didn't get the camera. I have been trying to outsmart the squirrel from stealing the seed cakes. I have the cake now in a decorative lantern with spaces big enough for birds but not for the squirrel. It is a puzzle for the birds to figure out how to get in. The chickadees figured it out without the help of a perch I added later but the male cardinals made numerous unsuccessful attempts to reach it. I knew it wasn't because they are too big because the female had figured it out.

 

Turns out there are numerous paint-by-numbers kits for adults. Should I get some for Steve? There are some cool ones of Venice....