Wordless Wednesday

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Thanks for stopping by to see my butterfly. Have a great day :)

New Germany State Park

On Friday I left work a half day early, hubby and I wanted to beat the heat so we  headed to the mountains of western Maryland. Our main objective was to go canoeing on the New Germany lake and do some hiking and birding. Friday afternoon we made a quick stop near Frostburg at nature reserve owned by the Nature Conservancy called Finzel Swamp. The birding at Finzel Swamp at times can be great. We did not see anything special but a juvenile Bald Eagle was a great sighting. There was also a nice flock of Cedar Waxwings. Below are some of the wildflowers and there is a lot of Queens Anne's Lace that line the trail at Finzel.

We spent the night at a nearby hotel so we would close by to the New Germany Park.  We got to the park early enough to take a hike on what they called their pink trail a loop trail that starts off next to the lake. The wildflowers along the trail were beautiul. We saw wild Tiger Lilies, Cardinal flowers and a lot of what I call Bee Balm and some other white and yellow wildflowers that I am not sure of their name. The Black Capped Chickadees were teasing me with their sounds but never showing themselves, I only see the Carolina Chickadee in my yard. We finished our hike in time for the park office to open and rent our canoe.

We were a  little disappointed that the park didn't rent canoes but they had kayaks, rowboats and paddleboats. So we chose the paddle boat and spent an hour paddling around the lake. It was fun and the scenery around the lake was beautiful and the bird of the day was a Great Blue Heron fishing on the edge of the lake.

After doing our paddlle boat on the lake we went on another hike on one was called the green trail which connected to the yellow trail and looped back to the parking lot. The green trail  and yellow trails went mostly thru the forest.  All their trails have colors as their names and were easy to follow. The trees were beautiful, a nice stream followed the trail, a pretty gazebo and the birds were singing along the way. These trails are all used for cross country sking in the winter months. There are cabins and campsites available in this pretty park.

Heading to the mountains for a short getaway was perfect, the weather was cooler and we had a great time enjoying nature.

Please visit the three memes I am linking  my post tp they are:


Thanks to Mary of Little Red house for hosting Mosaic Monday

and

Thanks to Drowsey Monkey our host for Mellow Yellow Monday

also

Thanks to Mary of Work of the Poet for hosting Ruby Tuesday

Thanks for visiting my blog and I hope you can stopped by again. Have a great week!  :)

Blue Grosbeak

My entry for Bird Photography Weekly  To see more wonderful birds click on my link and thanks to Birdfreak for hosting .


These shots are from my archives and my last visit to Bombay Hook NWR.  They are beautiful birds and I love the color. The male is a pretty blue with chestnut wingbars. They like to hang out in brushy fields  or on the edge of wooded areas. They eat insects and seeds.

This is my Friday Ark entry to see see more animals of the Ark click here Friday Ark

Thanks for dropping by to see my pretty Blue Grosbeak

Window Feeder...Wordless Wednesday

Click for more Wordless Wednesday

Thanks for stopping by to see my Peeping Dove, have a great Wednesday!

My Sunday morning birding

My Sunday birding consisted of waking hubby early and driving to Elkton, Maryland to see a Sandhill Crane. Sandhill Cranes are not common birds seen in Maryland. So when one appeared here I felt I had to go and see it. My first time seeing the Sandhill Crane was during my Yellowstone vacation a few years ago.

Sandhill Crane

After watching the Sandhill Crane for awhile and talking to a few other birders who also came to see the Crane we drove a little south to HarvedeGrace, Md. There is a nice waterfront boardwalk with some beautiful views of the water and the boats. It was a very hot morning and we didn't stay out too long. Long enough to see some cute baby Mallards. I was surprised to see the babies so small at this time. We also heard and watched a few Song Sparrows. They didn't seem to mind the heat.  Further along the boardwalk I spotted two yellow warblers chasing each other into a nearby tree. Perfect yellow bird for my Mellow Yellow Monday entry.  I also took a couple shots of some pretty daylilies and a yellow Swallowtail butterfly.


Tiger Swallowtail

Cute baby mallard ducks

Pretty female yellow warbler

I am linking up my post with Mary the host of  Mosaic Monday

and

Drowsey Monkey at Mellow Yellow Monday

Click on my links to visit these fun memes and thanks to the great hosts and for stopping by my blog.

Have a great week!

Walk to the lake

I am adding Weekend Reflections  to this post. Check out the reflections of the trees around my lake photo. And if you click on my Goldie Girl swimming, there is a cute reflection of her face and nose. Thanks to James for hosting Weekend Reflections.


For Watery Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday and Nature Notes I am posting some of my photos from our walk to the lake near our house.

Wildlflower seen by the lake

This is an ovenbird, they seem to be common in the woods next to my house

The fireroad going to the lake

A pretty day for a walk

I hope you enjoyed my walk to our lake and I am link up with

Weekend Reflections Click on the link to see more wonderful reflections.

Watery Wednesday  click on my link to see more watery shots

Outdoor Wednesday  click on the link to see more of the great outdoors

Nature Notes  click here to visit Michelle's great Nature post.

Thansk to all the wonderful host and thanks for stopping by.

Blue Monday, Blue Sky and Bald Eagles

On Sunday morning, my hubby and I went for a walk along the Susquehanna River. It has a nice trail to walk along the river and enjoy the birds. There must have been hundreds of Great Blue Herons  standing on rocks in the river. And in the sky we watching juvenile Eagles chasing each other and some adults flying nearby. The sky and the river were both a pretty blue and the weather was perfect.

Hundreds of Great Blue Heron standing on rocks in the river.

Not the best eagle photos, but my camera only goes so far.

It was fun watching the eagles chasing each other.

I am linking my post to Sally's Blue Monday  stop by and visit the Blue Monday post.

Thanks for visiting my blog and I appreciate your comments.

Birding the Watergardens

I have linked my post for the first time with Beverly's Pink Saturday click on my link to go and visit. And here is a cute blog and pretty pink post from last Pink Saturday Pink Paper Rose


My hubby and I visited the Lilypons watergardens, a popular place for birding. Birding was my main reason for going there but seeing all these waterlilies and lotus flowers is just a stunning sight.  If you are looking for pond supplies or waterlilies this is the place. They have many colors of both hardy and tropical waterlilies. Over 70 of 260 some acres are used for the waterlilies. It was hot Monday morning so it was a short visit. Some of the birds I saw were the Great Blue Heron, Egret, Canada Geese, Kingbird, Catbirds, Robins, Blackbirds, a Green Heron in flight and many Swallows. I have read that they offered a guided bird walk on their grounds, it is so nice to see a commercial business so inviting to birders. You can walk on your own on the trails or walkways between the large ponds.

I was amazed at the dragonflies, they were everywhere.

The lotus flowers are gorgeous.

I was also checking out all the butterflies and moths.

Redwing Blackbirds were plentiful and noisy.

I just love the color of the waterlily below, it was one of my favorites.

This cute little guy stared at us while we sat on one of the shaded benches.

I am linking up this post with Michelle's  Nature Notes thanks to our host Michelle of Rambling Woods.

And

Click here for Claudia's Friday Finding Beauty  thanks to Claudia for hosting. 

and

Outdoor Wednesday  click on the link to visit Susan's Outdoor Wednesday

and

Check out the critters at Misty Dawn's  Camera Critters

Thanks for stopping by my blog and I hope you enjoyed my watergarden post.

Wordless Wednesday

Click here to see more of Wordless Wednesday

Thanks for stopping by for a visit, I hope you enjoyed my juvenile whitehead Redbellied woodpecker. Thanks to the host of Wordless Wednesday.

4th of July

HAPPY 4th of July to everyone!

I tried to make my mosaic this week with red, white and blue colors. So, I have some Bluejays, Cardinals, my pretty Bluebird, a Penta flower called Butterfly red, the flag on my deck and a pretty sky photo.

I like these flowers and they reminded me seeing red fireworks exploding in the sky.

I am linking up with three memes with this post

 for Mosaic Monday  Thanks to the host Mary of Little Red house
and
Blue Monday   Thanks to host, Sally of Smily Sally
and
Ruby Tuesday  Thanks to host, Mary  of Work of the Poet

Thanks to everyone who visit my blog and post, Have a great 4th of July and a great week.

A few of my yardbirds and some juvies

HAPPY 4TH of JULY,  I hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend.

My entry for this weeks Camera Critters are some of my backyard birds and juvies. Click on my link to vist more critters.

It is so much fun to watch the juvies interact with their parents.

Chipping Sparrow and juvie. The juvie was too excited about being fed it couldn't stay still.

Momma Redbellied Woodie, you can see the juvie on my post below. You can see the difference on the female's head the red stops and does not go all the way to the beak like the males redhead.

Carolina chickadees seem to be all over the yard. I assume that their nesting was successful and there are plenty of juvies. They were using two of my birdhouses.

Wood Pewee is not a  feeder visitor, this one stopped by and sat in my weeping cherry tree. I do hear them in the woods next to my house.

Not sure if this is a male or female juvie Cardinal, I am guessing it is a male. The Cardinals seem to be plentiful in my yard. I am always seeing males chasing other males away.

Tufted Titmouse juvie, mouth open waiting for food. The Tufted Titmouse is one of my year round birds.

I believe these are both juvenile Titmouse, they are fun to watch chasing each other around the trees and yard.

My entry for BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY WEEKLY click on link to see great Bird Photography and pretty birds

Thanks for stopping by to see my post and blog. Have a safe and happy 4th of JULY!