Sunday, October 23, 2011

Shenandoah Colors & Wild Turkeys

I am linking my post up with Mosaic Monday & Our World Tuesday & Ruby Tuesday. This post is on my our visit to Shenandoah last weekend. Hubby and I love to drive along the Skyline Drive. The colors were beautiful, not the best we ever saw but they were still very pretty.  Of course when we visit Shenandoah National Park we take a hike on my favorite trail the Limberlost Trail. It has been a great trail to see birds up close. This time we saw three wild turkeys. Also, we heard lots of RedBellied woodies, Pileated woodies, Towhees, Titmouse, Juncos, both Golden and Ruby Kinglets, Bluejays, Cardinals and Wrens. We saw many vultures and black birds in flight along with one unknown hawk.



At least this turkey can feel safe roaming in the Shenandoah Nat'l park,  there is no hunting allowed in the park.  






Some of the Autumn colors seen on the Limberlost trail.


While driving along Skyline Drive we are always on the lookout for the black bears. We did come across a nice buck standing next to the road and one black bear walking along in the woods next to the road. I was just about to take my photo of the bear when the Park Ranger drove up and she told everyone they had to leave. I believe the bear and most of the people were astonished to see her walk into the woods shaking tree limbs and clapping her hands and yelling.  I was disappointed I did not get to take my photo but it was still neat to see the bear. For me seeing wildlife on the Skyline Drive is a fun experience and is one of my main reasons for visiting the park.



The Autumn colors were pretty, but I remember previous years being much more colorful. I am not sure why, but the falls colors even in my neighborhood are not as spectacular as in the past. The colors are spread out further, some trees are already bare, some of the leaves are just brown and a lot are still green. It seems this year to be a very uneven fall.


The fall colors at Big Meadows looked beautiful. The reds were gorgeous, oranges and golds all made for a stunning splash of colors on the meadow. 




It has been brought up that the paths in the photo above look like a ribbon, if the field was pink I would think the ribbon represents Breast Cancer Awareness month.




To see more wonderful mosaics please visit Mosaic Monday  and click  to see more of Our World Tuesday  and for more pretty reds make sure to visit Ruby Tuesday.. Thanks to Mary of Mosaic Monday, MarytheTeach of Ruby Tuesday and to the gang at Our World Tuesday: Gattina, Arija, Sylvia, Lady Fi and Sandy.

And most of all thank you for stopping by to see my post, I hope everyone has a safe and happy week.

57 comments:

  1. Your photos are gorgeous! Those colors! Is that a field of sumac? I do miss the fall colors since we don't have fall here. A cedar elm is slightly yellowish but our lowest low temp has only been one night in the high 50's. Looking at your blog is like a walk through autumn. Thanks!

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  2. hello autumn...these are gorgeous!!

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  3. the reds in that field are spectacular! so beautiful.

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  4. Stunning vistas! I love to see the leaves turn colors in Vermont but the colors by you are amazing! You take such wonderful pictures.

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  5. Wow, fabulous colours where you live. Our autumn colour has left as most of the trees have not leaves left. Enjoy your week:)

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  6. Just amazing colors to fill such beautiful autumn days. Gorgeous photos!

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  7. You may say the colours are not as bright as in past years, but they sure look beautifully vivid in your photos, Eileen!
    -Karen

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  8. Your photos are awesome and make such beautiful mosaics. WOW! I"m visiting from MM.

    ~Emily
    The French Hutch

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  9. How beautiful. What a wonderful time you must have had enjoying such beautiful scenery. I love the turkey pictures.
    Cindy

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  10. You've captured Autumn beautifully! Gorgeous colors. Stunning shots, Eileen!

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  11. Eileen, your photos are fabulous. You've brought fall home to all of us. I sure am glad you like to take these drives and share! :D

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  12. The colors look great! I cannot complain, because we do not have these close by.

    The reds are beautiful from the distance!

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  13. The red fields are breathtaking! I was wondering what you banner was! That's such a beautiful drive...and you saw turkeys, too! They better 'head for the hills' soon! ♥

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  14. Great photos of the wild turkeys Eileen, I see many here but would never be close enough to capture them. One took flight across a road in front of my car once - looked like a low flying pterodactyl. LOL
    Your autumn colour is stunning, may not seem as good this year to you but I find it great.
    Judith

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  15. I love your pictures.Mine have been looking washed out for some reason.We still have not had frost,but the colors are coming along.I want to try to make a mosic & join with you on the other blogs you link up with,have a good week!phyllis

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  16. Gorgeous colors. Autumn is such a beautiful season. And that turkey! Bet he enjoys his freedom.

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  17. A wonderful fall-mosaic! Thanks for sharing this with us!
    Have a nice week,
    Markus

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  18. Eileen! The red meadows are soooo beautiful. Great shot!!! I love the spectacular view.

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  19. so late in visiting and had such a busy weekend but the beauty remains...Thank you!!! Cathy

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  20. Those meadows of red were spectacular. I always enjoy your hikes in the woods and what birds you see. V

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  21. The colors in nature are on their best now Eillen. The autumn colors and that beautiful red are fabulous.

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  22. Wow wow wow! I sure miss those east coast fall colors... Love the turkey and the top left photo in the second collage especially... Though really they are all beautiful!

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  23. How Beautiful! Thank you for taking me inside of the Shenandoah National Park :)
    I would love to visit there someday!
    Big hugs,
    Queenie

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  24. Autumn in my area has come very late and the leaves are still quite green... I would love to see the colours in some of your wonderful images...many thanks for sharing.

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  25. Great colours!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  26. Beautiful beautiful mosaics! I love the field of red leaves..

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  27. Hello autumn indeed! What gorgeous colors! And your captures are fantastic, Eileen, and so colorful! Really breathtaking! Thanks so much for sharing the beauty with us today! Hope you have a lovely week!

    Sylvia

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  28. That meadow is absolutely spectacular! I've never seen such an extended burst of color. How wonderful it must have been to walk that trail!

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  29. How many great shots!
    I had never seen a field with such a variety of colors.
    Congratulations on your beautiful photos.

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  30. what a scenic view Eileen! thanks for sharing...I haven't seen a wild turkey before...:)

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  31. That field is ablaze in red, a fiery land in a brilliant ruby. It is amazing that so many people see a merely empty field, without the curiousity of looking a little deeper to see birds and other wildlife, too. A beautiful look!

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  32. Incredible colors, even for a strange autumn, which this year has been just about everywhere.
    Wonderful photos and mosaics, Eileen!

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  33. Wow!! Is this red color plants called fire bush? The landscape is awesome!

    Johnny Dog

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  34. Eileen this is such a lovely post . I admired the red in your header and then was happy to see where it was in the post. All lovely. Huh, I wonder why the ranger cleared everybody -- I sort of thought bears were part of the experience of the trail and NPs as long as they are minding their own business. Must have been an agressive one around. The turkeys are so great along with the colors, a perfect Autumn post.

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  35. Love all the photos!

    I played too. Mine is here.

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  36. It hasn't been a great year for color in my part of the country, either. I think that the warm temps in early autumn kept the leaves from turning and then we had unusually cold (in the teens at high elevation) weather and the leaves froze.
    Different parks have different ideas about bears and people. In Yosemite the rangers will often stand by, making sure that people don't get too close but allow viewing.

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  37. Looks like you saw some beautiful scenery and lots of birds. I love that colorful field!

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  38. the autumn foliage is absolutely beautiful! the meadow is a delight---what a colorful, beautiful season.

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  39. Wow, what gorgeous scenery! Whatever that red ground cover is, it's amazing. It must be such a pleasure to follow those trails through the crimson tide.

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  40. Beautiful shots Eileen. Those reds are awesome! Pity about the bear shots, but better to be safe, eh?

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  41. Very nice all, with the colors of autumn. Magnificent as you have captured that the red field with the loop.

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  42. The shots of national park and birds are beautifil.

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  43. Oh, autumn is so very beautiful! I have never seen such a red meadow in my life.

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  44. Hi there - at least nobody tried to stop me look at the koala! Just before I took the images he was on the ground have a bit of a fight without koala - presumably a male. Very loud voices from the undergrowth and then it dashed (as much as they can!) up the tree!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Australia

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  45. that´s a lot of red in your world now. Looks gorgeous. Turkeys are nog my favorite birds. They scared me as a kid. :(

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  46. Beautiful and stunning photo's, that header shot is just gorgeous. What is that red plant called.

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  47. My thoughts are the same as you on this years fall colors! I am so disappointed. I think all the rain we have had in this area did harm to the leaves. Seems the colors are so dull looking! You got some great shots though...love the fields of red...simply stunning!

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  48. What gorgeous splashes or red amidst the more serene fall colours.

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  49. These red "fields" are gorgeous it looks as if they were painted !

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  50. Awesome!

    Please come and take a look at some of the RUBIES at my page.

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  51. OH how i LOVE autumn and all the gorgeous colors!!
    your pictures are wonderful! thanks for taking us on such a beautiful trail...i could just stand and stare up at the changing leaves all day!i'm glad to hear that the turkeys are safe there...hopefully they all instinctively know that thanksgiving is coming & they run to the park for refuge!!
    that ribbon in the field was a wonderful sight too!! :)

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  52. Stunning rubies you captured Eileen!


    Late visiting for Ruby Tuesday. You can find my entry about the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders by visiting the link. Thanks!

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  53. WOW!

    I came to see your Ruby Tuesday and your Ruby meadow color is absolutely stunning!

    All of your post is delightful!

    Junie

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  54. So glad you were able to 'capture' the turkey!
    Your fall color shots are beautiful but those red fields top them all - gorgeous Eileen!

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  55. I haven't seen dazzling fall colors like these for years!

    YEA FOR SCARLET

    Yea for scarlet, yea for red!
    Yea for summertime that’s fled
    To some far-off frigid place,
    Where no ruby shows its face!


    © 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher

    A Handful of Red

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  56. Eileen - your collages are amazing. the autumn colours in your part of the world are spectacular. Have a great week!

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