Saturday's Critters #283

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!


If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!


I am sharing two of my favorite birds, the Pileated Woodpecker and the Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  

The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is a migrant bird, I usually see them just for a few days in early May. The male is a gorgeous bird with the pretty rose-colored breast. 

I have been noticing the Pileated Woodpecker has found a few spots on my side yard they like to peck at. On 5/4 I heard their loud call outside my bedroom window. I looked out and was surprised to see 3 Pileated Woodpeckers in a tree right outside the window. Two of them flew to a tree stump hubby put near the garden. It was a treat to see 3 Pileated Woodpeckers together in my yard. 

The Pileated Woodpeckers were moving around on this tree, it was hard trying to get a clear shot through the window while they were moving. 

They were moving around on this tree stump too, their head pecking away looking for bugs. 

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !










Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.

Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

Our World, My World

Happy Monday, 

I wanted to share some more photos from our getaway to Shenandoah Nat'l Park. We saw a Black Bear along the drive and took a short walk on Big Meadows and my favorite trail called the Limberlost Trail.  

The view from the Range View overlook on the Skyline Drive.

A Shenandoah Nat'l park bird mosaic: Top row are the Red-eyed Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Hooded Warbler. Middle Row is the Indigo Bunting. Bottom Row is a female American Redstart, not sure maybe a Veery and last a Great-crested Flycatcher. 

Pink Trillium, a pretty wildflower found in the park. 

Some of the Shenandoah Nat'l Park wildflowers. 

A Black Bear seen along the side of the Skyline Drive.  

A view of the Limberlost Trail.  We watched a couple of Eastern Phoebe in this area. 

Not sure what this moth/butterfly is?  

The Indigo Bunting was a common bird seen in the park, they were everywhere we went in the park. 

Thanks for your visit today!  I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.


Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Thanks for Yogi for hosting Skywatch Friday! 


Check out the links above, I hope to see you there. Thanks to the hosts today. Enjoy your day and new week.


As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

Saturday's Critters #282

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

Happy Mother's Day! My wish includes all the mom's of the 4 legged critters too.


If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!

These are some birds seen in my yard and neighborhood (fire road) on 4/29 through 4/30. 

The Pine Warbler can be seen at my feeder and deck daily.

4/29 & 4/30 the Red-breasted is still making an appearance at my feeders. 

The Gray Catbird on the deck railing.  

The nearby Great Blue Herons on their nest. 

A Northern Parula on a tree top at the end of our driveway. I have been hearing these birds singing all around our yard and off the fire roads. They are breeders here at the Prettyboy Watershed. 

The Ovenbirds are singing loudly in the woods and fire road. This is another breeder in our local forest. 

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !









Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.

Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

Happy Thankful Thursday!

Happy Thankful Thursday!

A few days late celebrating, but hubby and I went on a quick overnight trip to Shenandoah National Park. We seem to arrange a trip every anniversary. On May 4th it was our 29th anniversary. We spent the night in Harrisonburg Virginia, which is about a half hour drive to the Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park.  

These are some images from the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah Nat'l Park. We start off in Front Royal Virginia, the northern section of the drive.

We drove south on the drive to the Doyle River Waterfall trail at the 81.1 mile marker on the Skyline Drive. 

Appalachian Mountain views from one of the Skyline Drive overlooks.

A view of the sky around the parking lot at the waterfall trail.  Bird sounds were coming from every direction.  

The next two photos are the American Redstart, the male is pretty with his black and orange colors. 

I am not positive but I think this is the Red-eyed Vireo. We saw and heard a lot of birds in the area around the trail. 

The trail to the waterfalls, there is an Upper Doyle River falls and a lower Doyle River Falls. Round trip to the falls, it is 3.3 miles. Hiking back was hard on the legs, all up hill and steep in places. 

Our first view of the Upper Doyle River Falls, here it looks like there is two sections of the falls. 

Unknown wildflower seen along the trail.  Any help with the id is appreciated. UPDATE: thanks to my friend Donna on facebook, I have the id on this flower. It is called Galearis Spectabilis or commonly known as Showy Orchis. A native plant found in the Eastern USA.

A view of the Upper Doyle River falls, this was a view further down the trail. It showed three sections of the falls. 

The male Scarlet Tanager is a beautiful bird and I believe they breed in the park. 

I am thankful I am able to go a hike, to enjoy nature. 
I am thankful for my hubby!
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday



Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Our World, My World

Happy Monday everyone!


The beginning of May is usually a great time for seeing the migrant birds passing through our neighborhood and for seeing the local breeder return.  From my yard I can hear the Scarlet Tanagers, Ovenbirds and Wood Thrush calling loudly. 

The Ovenbird is one of the loudest birds, when we go out for a walk on the fire road, their sounds come from every direction. 

The Great Blue Herons get can get loud fussing with each on the nest. One day I watched a few herons chase a Bald Eagle away. My world has turned green and we are seeing various blooms in the yard and in the forest.  

If you look closely you can see two herons nest, there is a heron at the top and just the heron's head on the lower nest. 

We found around 6 Pink Lady Slipper plants along the fire road, they have been found growing in the same spots for years now. 

The Pink Lady Slipper is a native wild orchid.

Thanks for your visit today!  I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.


Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Check out the links above, I hope to see you there. Thanks to the hosts today. Enjoy your day and new week.


As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.