Snowy Valentine's Day Great Backyard Bird Count Pictures

Because of the pandemic, my city was already planning on one part of its Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) event being virtual, but due to the weather, all of it was moved online. I hosted two livestream sessions. One on Friday, February 12 where I gave background on and how to participate in the GBBC. We added a livestream on Saturday instead of heading out in the weather for socially distanced guided bird walks. In this livestream, I chatted with a member of the Fort Worth Audubon Society about her birding experiences and we discussed several local birds featured in photos provided by another resident. You can find both of these videos on my personal Facebook page.

These images are from today. Click on them to enlarge them. Even though I have only been counting from inside my house and the bad weather, I think I have counted more species than I have ever counted during a four day GBBC and we still have Monday to go. I have seen at least one of each of the following birds: American Crow, American goldfinch, American Robin, Blue Jay, Carolina chickadee, Cedar waxwing, Dark-eyed junco, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Gull sp., House finch, House sparrow, Lincoln's sparrow, Mourning dove, Northern Cardinal, Northern Flicker, Northern mockingbird, Pine siskin, Red-bellied woodpecker, Red-tailed hawk, Ruby-crowned kinglet, Tufted Titmouse, Turkey vulture, White-winged dove, Yellow-bellied sapsucker and Yellow-rumped warbler. There are other birds that can be around my property this time of year, but I think this is pretty good. In fact the bird in my last post showed back up for me to count. If I do not get a correct guess in the comments as to what it is, I will add another photo and identify it after the GBBC is over.

If you have not gotten a chance to count birds for the GBBC this year. If you are cooped up because of our strong winter storm in Texas, take some time to count the birds. Merlin is a great, free app for android or iOS that helps greatly with bird identification. The count runs through Monday, February 15, 2021.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas 2015

Whether your Valentine is your sweetheart, mom, sister or good friend, you will find a variety of items in each of my Etsy shops to please them and let your Valentine know you are thinking of them. My ready to ship items with hearts in my EclecticSkeptic shop currently include keychains, cards, earrings and pins and in my EDCCollective shop hearts are currently found on zipper pulls in a variety of colors and earrings.

Order ready to ship items no later than the end of the first week in February (U.S. addresses) so that your gift should arrive in time for Valentine's Day. If you are interested in a custom order for your Valentine, contact me by the end of January to discuss details so I can complete your request and ship your gift to you in a timely manner. You may find inspiration for your custom item, with or without a heart, in my sold items sections in my shops.

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas 2014

While red hearts are a more traditional color for Valentine’s Day, if your sweetheart also has a February birthday (birthstone amethyst) or has a penchant for color trends (2014’s Pantone color of the year is Radiant Orchid.) then you’ll want to check out my purple heart options.

Most of my EDCCollective Etsy shop’s current heart selections are purple. While I don’t have any purple hearts currently among my heart listings at EclecticSkeptic, you can find some in my sold items like the purple heart flying pig earrings seen in this post. I would be very happy to recreate any of my sold listings, that I still have the materials to do so, as a custom listing for you if you give me enough lead time.

Order ready to ship items no later than the end of the first week in February (U.S. addresses) so that your gift should arrive in time for Valentine's Day. If you are interested in a custom order for your Valentine, contact me by the end of January to discuss details so I can complete your request and ship your gift to you in a timely manner.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas 2013

If it's hearts for your sweetheart that you are looking for, here is a collage of current listings containing hearts currently available in my EDCCollective or EclecticSkeptic Etsy shops. You will find more traditional items at EDCCollective and fun flying pigs and geekery items at EclecticSkeptic. In addition to these "heartfelt" gift ideas, many more great gifts sans hearts can be seen in both shops.

Order no later than the end of the first week in February (U.S. addresses) so that your gift should arrive in time. If you are interested in a custom order for your Valentine, contact me by the end of January to discuss details so that I can complete your request and ship your gift to you in a timely manner.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

If you are still searching for that perfect Valentine’s Day gift or card, there are still a handful of items with a heart theme in each of my shops, EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic. All jewelry and accessories will arrive in a gift box, ready for you to add some ribbon and a bow for presenting to your Valentine.

If you are not a stickler for the heart theme but want something romantic for your guy or gal, a set of rustic wooden tea light candle holders or a wooden mini oil lamp holder to set the mood for a romantic “candle light” dinner may be more appropriate.

Other gifts are available too. I will ship your order promptly but please watch the calendar to allow enough time for first class mail to get your order to you. Contact me about expedited shipping before ordering if you think you need a shipping upgrade.

Hearts for Your Sweetheart

The perfect gift for your Valentine doesn’t have to include a heart. EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic have plenty of great gift ideas sans hearts. However, while a heart themed item is a perfect gift for your sweetheart at any time of the year, it is especially appropriate for Valentine’s Day.

Each of my shops has a small selection of gifts with a heart, including whimsical Valentine’s Day cards at EclecticSkeptic.

There is still time for me to make a custom item for you to give if you contact me and we get the details worked out before the end of January. I have a variety of gemstone, shell, blister pearl and glass hearts to work with. Listed items should arrive in time if ordered before the end of the first week of February.

I hope you and your sweetheart have a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

Heart Your Valentine

Give your heart to your Valentine with one of the following gifts available from EDCCollective or EclecticSkeptic. (Click on the image to enlarge it.) For more information about an item or to purchase it, head on over to the shop listed under each item.


Did you see something you liked, but it needs a cute flying pig charm? Or perhaps it’s the other way around? Many of these items can be made with or without the flying pigs. To see if I can add a flying pig to a featured item, contact me at EclecticSkeptic. For items sans piggies, contact me at EDCCollective.