Brown Headed Nuthatch and others for

Brownheaded Nuthatch seen at Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, to see more critters click on my Camera Critter link on my sidebar. Thank to Misty Dawn for hosting Camera Critters.

To see more great Bird Photography Weekly #62

 please click on my link on the side.

Red Breasted Nuthatch on my deck railing

White Breasted Nuthatch also seen on my deck railing

Pictures have been cropped for a closer view, thanks for stopping by to see my birds. Thanks to Michell at Rambling Woods 

for more of this weeks nature notes go to

Nature Notes

You can also see more great animal photos at the The Ark

Bird Photography Weekly # 61

This photo is from this past January, the Snowy Owls were reported being seen all along the East coast. The Snowy owl was one bird I just had to see and top on my list, I talked hubby into walking on the Assateague beach for 3 1/2 miles one way to see this Snowy owl. The photo is cropped, I did not want to get too close and spook the beautiful owl.

This Snowy Owl was seen sitting on the top off a sand dune on the Assateague beach.

To see more bird photography please click on my link.

You can also view more bird photos here a link to The Ark:

http://themodulator.org/

Camera Critters, Chincoteague ponies

Several times a year my husband and I spend a weekend at  Chincoteague Island, Va. The biggest attraction here is at the Chincoteague National Wildlife refuge. During our May visit this year we passed a couple of the ponies and two foals walking down the road.

 

The ponies can been seen all around the refuge. I do not know many places where you can sit on a beach in the company of wild ponies. Sometimes we see them walking down the road or off in the fields, they are just so cute. There is a legend that the Chincoteague ponies are descendants from two Arabians that survived a shipwreck and swam ashore back in the 1600's.

Once a year to keep the herd size down , the local volunteer fire dept holds a pony auction. When I was a just a kid my favorite book was Misty of Chincoteague, I think I read it over and over. Besides seeing the horses Chincoteague is one of my favorite places to go birding. One of my photos shows Cattle Egrets sitting on the ponies.

Thanks for the visit, enjoy your day!



" We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone." unknown

Watery Wednesday.....Great Falls Nat'l Park, Potomac, Md

Another place I like to do some birding is at the Great Falls National Park. The Potomac River is a big part of the parks attraction. On one side of the river is Maryland and the other side is Virgina.

 Great Blue Herons are plentiful, I heard there is a Heron Rookery along the river. The river is fast with a lot of white water and it is amazing to see all the Herons hanging around the river.

 Next to the river is the C&O canal. Here you can ride on the boat that is pulled horses.

My hubby and I just like to walk along the C&O canal trail. If you have been following my blog I think you can tell hubby and I love to walk. I can usualy see some g reat birds along the trail and one of them is my favorite the Green Heron. The trail is popular with people walking, biking, jogging and horseback riding.

Thanks for checking our my blog and my Watery Wednesday post. For more great Watery photos please click on my watery Wednesday link. Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy!

A yellow bird for Mellow Yellow Monday..

This is the Pine Warbler and is one of my winter time visitors. The male is a gorgeous yellow. I hope you enjoy my Pine Warbler and for more Mellow Yellow photos please click on my link.

Bird Photography Weekly # 60 Snowy Egret and Camera Critters # 80

The Egrets are elegant birds. Various places I have been birding I have been able to see the Great Egret, Snowy Egret and the Cattle Egret.

Below is a  photo of the Snowy Egret. One distinct difference is the Snowy Egret has yellow feet. See below..now those are yellow feet.

You can click on the picture for a larger image.

The next difference for me is the size the Snowy is just about in the middle of the three Egrets..  This one is doing a little dance.

To see more great bird Photography , please click on my link.

Pictured below is the Snowy Egret dance and is my entry for Bird Photography Weekly # 60.

The Great Egret has black legs and black feet.

The Great Egret is the largest in size and the Cattle Egret the smallest. For me a tell tale sign of the Cattle is Egret is the beige feathers on its head. Also the Cattle Egret has yellow legs and black feet.

Any way you look at an Egret they are all  beautiful birds. Next time you see an Egret check out the legs and feet.

For more wonderful Camera Critters please visit the host Misty Dawn at Camera Critter. My link will take you there.

Bird Photography Weekly # 59

Male Eastern bluebird.....That's My world follows this post

I have been lucky to have a pair of Eastern bluebirds nesting in my yard. They are one of my favorite birds. It seems to be a more common bird now thanks to all the birdhouses that are provided for them.

I am new to the Weekly Bird photography and feel a little out of place being an amateur photographer. But I just love the birds and enjoy all of your pictures.

Patuxent River park, Jug Bay and Canada Geese in Maryland...That's My World

For more That's My world photos please click on my link. Thanks to the team of Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Louise.
Also, my first Motion Thurday post a little late or a little early see my last three photos on this post of the deer.

My hubby and I spent the day at the Patuxent River Park canoeing, hiking and doing the drive tour to the Wildlife Sanctuary. The Jug Bay Natural area is known for some of the best birding in Maryland. We rented a canoe from the Patuxent River Park and spent about an hour and half on the river. They also rent Kayaks. You can pick up a water trail map at the visitors center. Between the river and the sanctuary we must have seen hundreds of Canada Geese. They were in the sky and on the river, just about everywhere we looked.

We watched hundred of Seagulls on the river and a few Great Blue herons, two Eagles were circling above, Cormorants were flying low over the river,  a flock of green Winged Teals flying near the river. I was also able to watch a Northern Harrier flying low over the marshes. I did not take my camera in the canoe but it was a neat experience to see the birds from the canoe. To see a Great Blue Heron at this low level was cool. The Heron was staring at us while we were enjoying watching him or her.

At the end of the drive tour we saw hundred of Canada Geese landing at the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary. The corn and millet fields help to attract the Canada Geese, some are migrating and some stay thru the winter months.

Do you think Geese make music? I am not sure the sounds I hear coming from them would be called music.

I am not sure if the hundreds of Geese landing spooked these deer but five or six deer ran across the field and then across the road in front of our car.


Here is a link for Motion Thursday. To see more Motion photos click here: http://motionthursday.wordpress.com/



 

This was our second time canoeing this year and we have decided we both enjoy canoeing. The season may be over this year it was a little chilly on the river with the wind blowing. But we are already making plans for next spring to canoe on the Pocomoke River on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  I heard the Pokomoke in the spring is great for warbler sightings.

Skywatch Friday, October 9, 2009

For my Skywatch ..American Avocets, for more great Skywatch photos please click on my link.

Friday Ark
http://themodulator.org/


Pictures are clickable

Being a birder, there are many times when I am looking up at the skies. On this day I was at Bombay Hook Wildlife Refuge. It was a great day to see birds, on the ground, in the trees and in the sky.

This photo below is my favorite shot of the Avocets

These are American Avocets and beautiful birds. They are are seen a certain time of year and usually I can find them at Bombay Hook, Delaware.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. and thanks to Klaus, Sandy Ivar, Wren, Lousie and the Fishing Guy and Sylvia for hosting Skywatch Friday.

That's My World... birding and the Antietam Battlefield

Sometimes hubby and I take what I call daytrips, they are usually to parks where I can bird and we both can walk and enjoy the scenery. I think this would make a good post for That's my world. It involves two things visiting the park and birding.

This is a great place for birding the place is just full of fields. I think I saw 20 or more Eastern Bluebirds in one group. Too bad they wouldn't all stay still for a group picture. Probably the most Bluebirds I've ever seen together. Other birds seen were the Carolina Wren, Downy Woodpeckers, and a group of Cedar Waxwings, various Hawks and some vultures.

 The scenery and the history of the place made it a interesting trip. Some of the park you can drive thru and some we took our walk. I learned a lot from our visit. The Antietam Battle was the first battle druing the Civil War fought in the north... in Maryland. What I think is just awful is that it was the bloodiest single day battle in American history.. with about 23,000 casualties. I will always believe in PEACE. 23,000 men lost is just unbelievable to me.

This bridge is named after one of the Maj. General Ambrose Burnside. I love the style of the bridge and the stone work is wonderful.

 I hope I have not  bored everyone with my post on the Antietam Battle.  For more great photos from around the world please click on my link for That's My World.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and checking out my entry. Also thanks to Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Louise.

First weekend in October and My yardbirds

Yesterday, I was sitting at my computer and heard a loud crash against my dining room window.
I had a sick feeling inside as to what caused the crash so I quickly went outside to see a beautiful Ovenbird laying on my deck. It was still moving but just barely. I did not want my dog to bother the poor bird so I moved it to the woods across my driveway. I was hoping it was just stunned and would come too but that was not the case. I feel so sad for the loss of this great bird. I have tried to prevent the birds from going into my windows but it still happens. I have tried white decals and now I just have to keep the curtains closed. I have read the window strikes is the most common reason for birds dying. Being a birder and loving the birds as much as I do , it hurts when they die especially hitting my windows.


This is a shot of last years Ovenbird landed on my deck.

For a cherrier note, I have been enjoying the birds in my yard. I am seeing lots of American Goldfinches,

the Tufted Titmouse

 and the Wrens

seem to be having fun chasing each other. It is funwatching and hearing them fuss at each other. The Chickadees like to fuss too.

The Bluejays are noisy calling, calling for what I do not know.

Maybe they are asking for more peanuts.