Sunday, May 27, 2012

Shenandoah National Park

I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday

Happy Memorial Day! I hope everyone is enjoying the long holiday weekend.

These photos are from another recent day trip my hubby and I took to Shenandoah National Park. The park is one of our favorite places to visit . We enjoyed hiking on some trails and driving along the Skyline Drive. I recently heard on the news that the National Parks are trying to get young people unplugged and outdoors visiting the National Parks. They are saying the average age of a National Park visitor is 54 well that is pretty close to hubby's and my age of 55. It is being said that there may not be enough young people to care about National Parks to keep them going. Now, that sounds really sad to me. I know hubby and I took our son to many National Park during our travels over the years. I am hoping my son appreciates and loves the National Parks as much as hubby and I.



The shots above are from one of my favorite trails..it is called the Limberlost trail. Here we saw amazing numbers of the Chestnut-sided warblers. Quite a few American Redstarts were also bouncing around in the trees. The wildflowers and butterflies were a beautiful sight to see. I also saw some Canada Warblers but those photos were blurry. These warblers bounce around so fast it is hard to catch any of them still enough for a good photo.

I was amazed at the numbers of the Chestnut-sided Warblers we were seeing. Above you can make out the pretty chestnut side, but can not see the top of its head which has a yellow crown and bordered by black.


Some of the wildflowers seen along the Limberlost trail.

Above are some of the pretty pink wild azaleas, a tiger swallowtail butterfly, a view from the Rangeview overlook, the Appalachian trail and a Catbird. We also saw and heard many Indigo Buntings and Scarlet
Tanagers.



The American Redstart one of the common bird seen along the Limberlost trail.

A view of the Big Meadow located in the middle section of Shenandoah Nat'l Park on the Skyline Drive.

I hope you enjoyed our Shenandoah visit...it is one of the many National Parks that we love.

To see more wonderful mosaics and photos please visit Mosaic Monday  and Our World Tuesday
Thanks to Mary the host of Mosaic Monday  and to the hosting group of Our World: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia and Sandy

43 comments:

  1. Lovely pics!! What a great place to visit!

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  2. i love that largest photo in the 2nd mosaic - the layers of land are just so beautiful! really nice, eileen!

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  3. What a pretty little bird and beautiful photos! We traveled in that area a few years ago and would love to go back! Beautiful mountain scenery!

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  4. What a beautiful park for sure! Love all your mosaics. A very happy Memorial Day to you!

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  5. I really enjoyed your Shenandoah visit. What a beautiful place. I especially love the Big Meadow! So green and open!

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  6. I can see why you like this park. We have indigo buntings in the tall trees a few lines down from us. You can hear them but they're hard to spot - but what a beautiful bird when you do.
    Judith

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  7. Beautiful mosaics! This looks like a beautiful area in the Shenandoah Valley, Eileen. I think there seem to be more birds than usual in my area this summer, probably due to the mild winter we had.

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  8. beautiful mosaic and pictures, inviting us to enjoy a wonderful time with nature.

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  9. We drove a portion of the Skyline Drive a number of years ago. Such a gorgeous place. I love the photos you've chosen to share - mountains and trees and birds are inspiring.

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  10. Really beautiful photos and mosaics. Sweet birds, a lovely azalea, a colorful butterfly...... Have a fine week.

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  11. I haven't hiked that trail - but we do love that drive! It is also one of my favorite ones - we like to take it all the way, then along the Blue Ridge Parkway to the end. Loved your photos!

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  12. What a gorgeous park and beautiful scenery! I love your eagle eye :) being able to identify all the bird specimens! Happy Memorial Day!

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  13. Great photographs as usual and I know you and hubby like to get out like Phil and I do!!Been a busy week, a few family health issues
    so I haven't had time to make mosaics. I love the birds you photographs, so many we don't have here in the UK. Have a great week, Jackie in Surrey, UK.

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  14. Beautiful photos! Someday I want to be able to identify birds and wildflowers. What a wonderful hike!

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  15. As always a post full of delight.

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  16. Wonderful photos from the flowers and the birds. Beautiful done !
    Have a nice Monday, Eileen.
    Kind regards, Synnöve

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  17. Beautiful mosaic and the birds are so pretty.
    ~Clara

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  18. Lets hope that there is no lack of Interest in your National Parks - I think you had them before any other country.

    This one looks like a great place to explore.

    Stewart M - Australia

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  19. Great photos. That is such a beautiful area even if you are just driving through.

    Darryl and Ruth :)

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  20. Lovely photos, Eileen - your photography gets better every day. Your capture of the butterfly is amazing.
    The park looks like a fabulous place to visit.

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  21. Love your photos. I almost feel like I was on the walk with you.

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  22. There are a lot of Chesnut-sided Warblers around. Great post. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  23. Happy Memorial Day to you! You have some wonderful photos here! I have not encountered a Chestnut-sided Warbler, and in fact, most of your birds are new ones for me. From your description and photos, I know I would love to explore the Limberlost Trail. Thanks for your suggestion of ferret for the animal posted on my blog. I am thinking it is more likely a groundhog (woodchuck) as it was well over ten pounds.

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  24. It is sad that younger people don't appear to love the national parks! Maybe they will become wiser as they grow older. (We can always hope.)

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  25. nice place. :) You have so many great butterflies. In sweden we have around 300 butterflies I think. But only a few of those large and color ful ones. So I am a bit envied of you.

    You asked if my trip to Öland was a birding trip. Yes, but as I am a "photographer" from birth there is never only birding. I knew I would see a lot of things to shoot. Some I had planed other just happened. Much like you I guess. :):) It would be fun to go on a trip with you. We would probably not get far. To much to capture . :)

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  26. the park does look inviting Eileen. great captures as always.

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  27. Such a gorgeous park and your photos are fantastic as always, Eileen! As always, they're the next best thing to being there myself! Hope you've had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and a great week ahead! Thanks again for sharing the beauty!

    Sylvia

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  28. isn't it amazing the flowers that grow wild??

    the swallowtail is so beautiful, nice of her to spread her wings (i call it a her because it is so beautiful)!!

    what a wonderful place to visit!!

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  29. Incredible job capturing such small, mobile birds!

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  30. Beautiful National Park Eileen. I heard that same thing about young people and N. Parks. My youngest daughter goes to them quite often. I sure hope they never close.
    Hugs,
    Jann

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  31. What leafy green beauty!

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  32. Eileen truly a treasure this National Park . Your images capture it beautifully! I do what I can to educate and help my granchidren appreciate Mother Nature and Mother Earth.Todays parents seem to be tied up with careers and little time to spend appreciating the world around us.So sad that material things seem more imortant than the simple things of taking a walk in our many local and National parks.

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  33. Those restart warblers I just learned about this week...I saw one a few days ago, and never could get my camera focused on it before it flitted away!!!

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  34. A very good view of the Big Meadow, especially like the rocks.

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  35. Beautiful photos Eileen! It is sad that not many youngsters visiting the park.

    Love the butterfly!

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  36. You've captured some great photos there.

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  37. Beautiful place and photos. Thank you for taking us there.

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  38. A beautiful place you are showing here :0) Lovely :0)

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  39. Love your beautiful mosaics of the park, Eileen, especially the wild flowers.

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  40. Hi Eileen, it looks like a wonderful park to spend time~
    I am having a very slow week, and I ask you to forgive me for my tardiness. Momma always said, better late, then never~

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Have a happy day, Eileen

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