Chesapeake skywatch

I took these shots last Friday early in the morning on my way to the Blackwater NWR. The sun was already up and I think the clouds and light were pretty.


                                      My sunrise reflection.

To see more wonderful skies from all over the world go and visit Skywatch Friday

and thanks to the hosting team of skywatch Friday.

also I think my first shot looks great for Weekend reflections the sun is reflecting nicely on the icy pond.

to see more weekend reflections go and visit James at newtowndailyphoto. Thanks James for hosting this fun meme,

And thanks for stopping by my blog to see my skies.

Ocean City Birds

Last week after visiting Blackwater we continued driving to Ocean City, Md. I was hoping to pick up a few lifers at the Ocean City inlet. My lifer was the Surf Scoter, we also saw what I believe are Common Loons, Ruddy Turnstones, lots of seagulls and maybe a Purple Sandpiper.


The Surf Scoter are cool looking birds because of their unique bill. The Male is impressive with its colorful bill. They are seen in large wintering flocks on ocean coasts where they feed on shellfish.



Please click to see larger image and a better view of the bill.

The Surf Scoters are my entry for Bird Photography Weekly  to see more great bird photography please click on the link.

To see more great birds and wildlife go and visit The Friday Ark.

Thanks for stopping by to see my birds and commenting.

A scenic view of Blackwater NWR

During our visit to Blackwater we took a walk on the woodlands trail. During the walk I heard and saw a lot of Geese flying over, some swans in flight and lower to the ground I could hear the kinglets. My header is overlooking the Blackwater River from the woodlands trail.

Canada Geese

Outside the visitor center we had a great sighting (right above our heads) of a Cedar Waxwing flock.

They landed in a tree with berries, I was lucky enough to focus on one before a group starlings landed and scared them off.
Blackwater located on the Atlantic flyway is a very birdie place, it is designated as an IBA important bird area and it is also home to the endangered Delmarva fox squirrels. It is also a sanctuary for the Bald Eagles. I have heard the first egg has appeared and you can check out the Eagle webbcam here: http://www.friendsofblackwater.org/.  The Eagle festival is in March and is a very popular event.


                       Sorry, I could not zoom closer but in front of the geese is a juvenile Bald Eagle

Blackwater is a very scenic place. It is along the Blackwater River, it consists of tidal wetlands, field and mixed evergreen and deciduous trees. There are walking trails, canoe and kayaking and the wildlife drive. It is one of my favorite places to visit.

Thanks for stopping by to see my Scenic Sunday and to see more go and visit the Holleys at : Scenic Sunday

Great Blue Heron on Ice

During our Blackwater NWR visit we watched a Great Blue Heron walking on the ice. I guess this Heron didn't make the trip south and decided to stay at Blackwater. On this day the temp's were in the high 50's and even close to 60. So the ice was melting and the heron could still find food along the waters edge. It just seemed odd to see one walking on the ice.

                                    Click on photo for larger image

To see more great bird photography go and visit :  bird-photography-weekly-74/

To see more critters go and visit  Camera Critters and to

see more birds and animals you can also visit

The Friday Ark

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for commenting.

Blackwater NWR Skywatch

My shot below is my entry for Skywatch and is from Blackwater NWR taking on Friday the 15th.

Last weekend,  I talked hubby into a daytrip to the Blackwater National Wildlife refuge in Cambridge Md. I wanted  mostly to the see the birds and it was a great day weather wise, it was close to 60 degrees.

I saw lots of birds at Blackwater. There were Bald Eagles, lots of Snow Geese and lots of Canada Geese, Mallards and a GB Heron walking on ice. I am pretty sure that I saw a flock of swans (are they called flocks) going over the refuge too.


                                   Swans, the Snow Geese have black on their wings. The Swans were all white.

Snow Geese

Snow Geese a little closer

Some of the Snow Geese on the ground with some Canada Geese.

Thanks for checking out my Blackwater Skies and to see more great skies from all over go
 and visit: Skywatch Friday   Also a big thanks to our hosting team of Sylvia, Sandy, Wren, Klaus  and Fishing Guy

More from Loch Raven for Watery Wednesday

These are more shots from the Loch Raven Reservoir, I posted an entry for That's My World below also which tells more about the Loch Raven Reservoir.

It was fun watching the swans, ducks, geese and gulls flying all around at the reservoir on Saturday. People were feeding bread to the ducks and geese so they were coming close to the shore.

Below are Ring Necked Ducks to me they should be Ring Beak ducks. Because the white ring is around their beak. In winter they like freshwater lakes like our Loch Raven Reservoir.

This is my entry for :  2sweetnsaxy's Watery Wednesday click on the link to go and view watery photos from all over. Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy for hosting Watery Wednesday.

and

My entry for : Outdoor Wednesday go and visit and thanks to Susan for hosting Outdoor Wednesday.

also

My entry for:  Nature Notes   and to see more go and visit Michelle at Ramblings Woods.

Thanks Michelle for hosting Nature Notes.

Thanks for visiting my blog and for all your nice comments.

Loch Raven Reservoir....That's My World

On Saturday,  hubby and I decided to take a walk and check out the ducks at the Loch Raven Reservoir. Baltimore has three reservoirs that hold water for the city and Loch Raven is one of them. In the winter months the reservoir seems to attract many species of ducks, geese and gulls. During the season the Fishing Center rents boats and canoes and they have the only boat ramp for access to the lake. The lake is a preferred destination for bass fishing.

On the weekends a 3 mile section of the Loch Raven Drive is closed for bikers, roller bladers, joggers and walkers like hubby and I. The road follows the lake so it is very scenic.

We saw many families with little ones coming with bags of bread to feed the geese, ducks and the gulls. From the shoreline, I could id the Mallards, Hooded Mergansers, large group of Ring Necked Ducks and Common Mergansers.


                                           Hooded Merganser

Mute Swans, Canada Geese and Mallard ducks

Ring Necked Ducks have a white line around their beak and are easy to id.

Canada Geese walking near the frozen shoreline.

It was a great day to be out walking and enjoying the outdoors. The temps were in the low 50's which was nice after the cold weather we have been having on previous weekends.

This is my Show My World post and to see more go and visit That's My World

Thanks for stopping by and thanks to the hosting team of Sylvia, Sandy, Wren, Louse, Klaus and Fishing Guy.

Cormorants

These Cormorants are from my archives and were seen during one of my many visits to Chincoteague National Wildlife refuge. The birding is great at Chincoteague and these Cormorants are just one of the many birds you can see there. The Double Creasted cormorants are a common species and they nest in colonies along the coast. They are diving fish eaters and are cool birds and fun to watch them fish. The Cormorants are also seen holding their wings open in the sun to air dry their feathers.

My Cormorants post is my entry for multiple memes so to see more great critters and birds go to:

the Friday Ark and Misty Dawn's Camera Critters and Bird photography weekly

This is also my Watery Wednesday and to see more go and visit waterywednesday

Thanks to the host of these great memes.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

This is also my entry for: Michelle's Nature Notes

 Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes.

Cardinals

I am including my Cardinal post in Susan's Outdoor Wednesday  go and visit and Thanks Susan for hosting Outdoor Wednesday.

My entry for Ruby Tuesday to see more great entries go and visit Mary at workofthepoet

Thanks for stopping by to see my Cardinals and Thanks to Mary for hosting Ruby Tuesday.

Ruddy Turnstone and Red Knots

Bird Photography Weekly #72 to see more great birds photos go to:
bird-photography-weekly-72

These are two of the birds I look forward to seeing again this spring. On the Delaware shore during the first spring full moon the horseshoe crabs lay their eggs and then the feast begins.

                                  Ruddy Turnstone on a Horseshoe Crab

                                 RedKnots

Pictures are from my ARCHIVES they were taken last spring.

 Tens of thousands of Redknots and Ruddy Turnstones and other shorebirds feast on the eggs from the horseshoecrabs. I was amazed at how many Redknots there were, I couldn't possibly count them all. I know these are not the best photos but they just really show how many Red Knots were there. This was only one section of the shore there were more along the beach.


                                  Ruddy Turnstones, please click to see a larger image of the different birds.

RedKnots and a some Laughing Gulls

A multiple meme entry this week as this is also my Camera Critters post. Tos see more great Critters go and visit Misty Dawn at camera-critters

This is my entry for Outdoor Wednesday, to see more great photos go and visit Susan at A southern daydreamer

Also to see more birds and other animals visit The Friday Ark

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for your nice comments.

Merganser Reflection

Female Merganser for:  Bird Photography Weekly


I didn't realize it until after I posted my Merganser momma and chicks that I had a great reflection of the momma. I think it is neat that the momma's crazy do reflects nicely in the water.

Sorry if  it is a repeat photo for some but I thought it would be perfect for Weekend Reflections go and visit  James in Newtown

Thanks to James for hosting Weekend reflections and thanks for visiting my blog.