Sunday, October 24, 2010

Birding Shenandoah

Hubby and I visited Shenandoah Nat'l Park yesterday, we love taking daytrips and Shenandoah is close enough for a quick visit. Driving the Skyline Drive and seeing all the pretty fall colors was wonderful. We both agreed that this fall the colors are not as spectacular as in previous years. We have been visiting and camping at Shenandoah Nat'l Park for more than twenty years now. The Fall colors can be stunning.



Sulphur butterfly



 I really enjoy hiking the Limberlost trail located in the central section of the Sklyine Drive and the park. Around the trailhead parking lot and along the trail there were many apples trees and berries which attracted a large amount of birds. We found out from other hikers on the Limberlost that we had just missed seeing black bear. The Black bears are another reason why I love visiting Shenandoah.

Slate colored Dark Eyed Junco



The Tufted Titmouse and Dark Eyed (slate colored) Junco had the highest individual counts of all the birds I saw. I did see and hear, Bluejays, Cardinals, Eastern Bluebirds, American Crows,  Eastern Towhee, Kinglets, Hairy Woodpecker, unidentified Hawk and Turkey Vultures soaring above the drive and overlooks.







Pretty reds at the Big Meadows

I am link up Mary's Mosaic Monday and Drowsey Monkey's Mellow Yellow Monday and Marytheteach's Ruby Tuesday and That's My world

Special thanks to all these wonderful host, I just love participating in these fun memes.
Thanks for stopping by and visiting my blog and my Shenandoah post.

67 comments:

  1. Gorgeous! This must be a fabulous place to walk.
    Blessings,Ruth

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  2. I like your collages. I agree with you about the fall foliage not being as dramatic this year as in past years. I thought the same here too.

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  3. Wonderful photos, Eileen! What lovely places you have around yrou to visit.

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  4. Gorgeous shots! We haven't been to Skyline Drive for quite some time and you have tempted us to quickly go back.

    Darryl and Ruth : )

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  5. Wow what stunning photos, Eileen. I love the trees photographed from the bottom up and the vibrant meadow. Your junco is a little like our spotted flycatcher. Thanks for taking me on this lovely walk and birding outing. Have a great day. Blessings Jo

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  6. Even if this year isn't as good as those past, you sure get many more vibrant fall colors than we do here! Beautiful. And cute chipmunk in the collage, too.

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  7. Oh beautiful place, Shenandoah!
    I really, really love your picture looking up at the trees- you can see all their power and majestic stance.
    Interesting re fall colours not being as vibrant this year, cos "Life through reflections", a blog I follow from Denmark, made the same post today! You should visit each other!!

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  8. Hi Eileen :)
    molto belle queste foto, soprattutto quella con l'uccello e quella con la fioritura rossa.
    Mi piace molto :)
    Buona serata.
    Myriam

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  9. I am also eager to see a black bear, but are they dangerous and we need to out run them?

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  10. Beautiful scenery, it must be wonderful to have such a place nearby. Your fall colors are great, our trees have just started turning this week.

    I love all of your mosaic photos especially the one of the squirrel, or is that a chipmunk?

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  11. Absolutely beautiful! What are those lovely fields of red? They're gorgeous. All of your mosaics lovely.

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  12. Stunningly beautiful mosaics! Love the picture of the trees.

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  13. Eileen,

    Another spectacular post! Beautiful images, birds, butterflies ... loved the shot of the trees from the bottom uo! Looks like the Shenandoah is the place to be!

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  14. You always have such amazing photos. Very talented.

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  15. Nice photos Eileen. Your little chippy makes it look so innocent and loveable.
    Judith

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  16. Beautiful! You got such stunning shots, Eileen! I really love looking up at the tall trees! Great photo!

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  17. You may have been disappointed with the color, but it sure looks beautiful to me. Love the reds in that meadow and the birds that you captured so very well. Sorry that you missed the bear this time.

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  18. Just wonderful ... thanks for sharing this great spot. The Autumn colours are amazing ... and I just loved the shot looking up at the tree tops!

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  19. Beautiful vistas and a good day for birding.

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  20. WOW! Everything is so beautiful there right now!

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  21. Wow!
    Love your photos a lot :)

    http://www.homezweethome.info/2010/10/lights-at-night.html

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  22. You find some very beautiful spots for your day trips! Lovely photos, and I especially like the second collage and the shot looking up into the trees.

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  23. Morning Eileen

    I love visiting your blog especially to see birds that as far as I know we don't have in the UK!! I have heard Lyrics about Shenandoah and it is a beautiful place. I have just found a link on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIF77ENM4eE and you live near there, how lovely!!!

    Have a great week, Jackie in Surrey, UK.

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  24. Can I join you on one of your day trips?! Your photos and mosaics capture the day beautifully! Wonderful nature captured, the colors, the wildlife... So lovely, Eileen.

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  25. Gorgeous photos! I'm wondering what meadow flowers those are that is such a glorious red color!?

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  26. Well-captured! You live in such a beautiful place!

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  27. Eileen...My husband and I do lots of day trippin' around our area of West Texas which we call 'DriveAbout PhotoShoots'...he Drives..I Shoot! Our scenery is alot different from yours, so it's always so great to see OPS (Other Peoples Shots) and yours are spectacular. Wonderful Mosaic Monday presentation.

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  28. Such gorgeous photos Eileen!

    My Mellow Yellow post, have a great week ahead!

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  29. Showing in its fullest or not, Autumn always has shown the beauty of the world around us. These are spectacular collection of photos. You visit such noteworthy places.

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  30. I have the same thought as Francisca as I browse your photos. They are all gorgeous and so pretty.
    MYM-More flowers

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  31. wonderful shoots..i see you love nature..that is very good!!:))

    wish you a very very good week!:)

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  32. That was one of the marvelous things about living in the D.C. burbs. . . beautiful scenery for a long days' drive or weekend. . . plus lots of little antiques places to poke around in.

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  33. Wow what a beautiful place and i love your mosaics.

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  34. Eileen I said the same about New England's fall colors...not as vivid as usual but still beautiful. Your photos of Shenandoah in your mosaic are all lovely. I also love the field of red and the bird close up!

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  35. Dear Eileen,
    your fotos are always stunning, especially the one looking in the sky in the wood, wow!!! You placed the little squirrel at the right corner,it let me smile. The colours are so beautiful, soft and worm in your MM.
    Have a nice week and thank you for stopping by my blog.
    Anja

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  36. The squirrel is so cute! The scenery is beautiful! :)

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  37. I spent a month and half in Fall last year in the New England area, USA, and the colors were absolutely delightful.
    Your Shenandoah post has some stunning photographs, thanks for sharing.
    Have a lovely week.

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  38. Your photos are absolutely stunning, Eileen! And what a gorgeous world you do have! Thank you so much for the tour and visit! I do love all the beautiful colors! Hope you have a lovely week! Enjoy!

    Sylvia

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  39. I hear a lot of good things about this place and I'm glad you are showing them all to me. What a lovely time you must have had.

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  40. The views on the skyline are absolutely beautiful! To see the tops of the trees and their foliage in one glimpse is great. The rubies below and above are wonderful!

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  41. Love all the colours of Nature from your walk! But especially love the field of reds at Big Meadows!

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  42. Stunning nature photos. That is a beautiful part of Va/w.VA. we just drove through there last weekend!

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  43. your pictures never fail to amaze me. i enjoy these very much. thank you.

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  44. Excellent captures and all so wonderfully presented.

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  45. Beautiful photo ~ every one of them. I always leave your blog with a smile :)

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  46. "Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you..."
    (A beautiful old song.)

    How wonderful to see these beautiful pictures of a place I've never seen. I was in Virginia once, but only briefly, a long time ago, so I'm very happy to see it through your eyes and your camera.

    Kay, Alberta, Canada

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  47. What a lovely place to visit on a beautiful fall day. I love the tall trees especially. And so nice to capture the birds in photos - on our fall hike yesterday, I just heard them or saw them in the distance.

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  48. What a beautiful place! Love all your beautiful photos. Great shots and lovely collage too.

    Have a great day always.

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  49. we are so lucky that nature provides such a varied palette aren't we. This pictures are stunning

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  50. these are breathtaking shots. the photo with trees is my favorite. what amazing colors!

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  51. Beautiful shots. Very lovely birds and flowers.

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  52. Lovely shots! The colours are so rich. This must be a beautiful place to visit.

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  53. Beautiful My World posting

    Have a nice week,
    Greetings, Bram

    My Word Tuesday post

    Seen on My World Tuesday

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  54. Lovely shots - thanks too for stopping by!

    Lola:)

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  55. what's that animal at the top left hand corner.

    The red field, please let me lie down and breathe in the perfume.

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  56. I too would LOVE to take daytrips to this area of our country!!! Wow...so so beautiful.



    Candy for the brave this week, is my RT. Here is the link...
    http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com/2010/10/trick-r-treat.html

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  57. What beautiful pictures. You must have had a wonderful time.
    Cindy

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  58. You live in a beautiful world filled with pretty birds. Wow those trees are tall and straight.

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  59. Fantastic photos! You have all the colors of fall..

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  60. i am speechless here...spectacular place you got there with an awesome photographer, all shots were hugely GREAT!

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  61. I am swept off by my feet by your pictures. Breathtaking!

    Come & check me out with My Ruby Tuesday here

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  62. Just fabulous photos. Makes me want to get on a plane and come visit - quick! before it all fades into winter. The reds are spectacular.

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  63. I love that red field, too! These a beautiful mosaics full of color and the charm of the fall season.

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  64. I was quite stunned by all those read plants. Amazing!

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  65. Beautiful photos! I love bird watching and taking photos of nature! Yours are spectacular! ♥

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