Sunday, September 16, 2012

Hashawha Nature Center

I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday



These are some scenes we saw during our drive to and our hike at the Hashawha Nature Center on Saturday. I read the the word Hashawha is a Native American term meaning "old fields". During our hike we stopped at the raptor center, the raptors are birds that are injured in some way and can not live in the wild. The owls are some of my favorite raptors at the center. It is just sad for me to see them in cages.


We passed this field of sunflowers along the way, I could not pass up stopping the car for some photos.  I can just imagine how happy the birds with this field of sunflowers. They must be in heaven with a buffet of sunflower seeds.


While hiking on the loop trail we passed by this small pond. I see a large owl box towards to back of the pond. It would be cool to  be there when the box is in use.

At the Raptor Center I zoomed in on the Great Horned Owl's face trying to remove most of the wire fence in front of us. The owl has the coolest looking eyes. They also have a Bald Eagle, Red Tailed Hawks and a Barred Owl.

The loop trail also took us by this field, I like the layer of colors. I was hearing all kind of birds along the walk but except to see one flying away I could not report a specific bird.


We walked past this old 19th century log cabin, it is not in use except for historic reasons. I love the wood and the big stone chimney. Around here I saw some Cardinals and heard a very noisy wren.




We saw lots of American Goldfinches on this field of yellow goldenrod. There was also some pretty purple thistle mixed in that attracted the birds. I believe I had some quick glimpses of a few Orchard Orioles.

We ended our walk near alarger lake filled with lilypads. As you can see with the pretty sky and cooler temperatures, we had a beautiful day for our hike and some birding.



To see more wonderful photos and mosaics please visit Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday

Thanks to Mary of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia and Sandy .  Thanks also for stopping by to see my post. Have a safe and happy week!

77 comments:

Claudia Moser said...

The sunflowers are amazing!

Mr Paul said...

Wonderful photos Eileen. Looks like we both visited simalr places this weekend.

Linda said...

Great photos of the sunflower fields, and all the things on your walk! Love that cabin...and the lilies. What a great place to walk!

Kerri Farley said...

Looks like a Great place to visit. Lovely Mosaic and pictures!!

diane b said...

That was a beautiful hike,thanks for taking me a long. I love the lone sunflower standing tall amongst the wilted one. The lakes, fields and hut are all lovely shots. The owl super the wire almost disappeared, well done.

TexWisGirl said...

looks like a gorgeous day out. the owls at least have a place to be cared for in their injured state. :)

the sunflower fields are thick!

Chaparral Earth said...

That lake with the Lily pads looks a lot like the lake behind our house. The Sunflowers look tired.

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

What a wonderful day out with lots of great places and things to see. I especially like the old log cabin, reminds me of Little House in the Prairie.

Kim, USA said...

Wow those sunflowers looks like they are bowing to the king sun! ^_^ Beautiful!


Kim,USA

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

You're making me anxious to get out and see new sights. The sunflowers are beautiful and we always enjoy seeing the raptors that are being taken care of. The owls are always our favorites! Beautiful photos! Next time I'll come with you! heehee!

Vee said...

That walk is fantastic and the owl stole the mosaic. Sitting right smack in the middle with that incredibly expressive face...he's amazing.

Gardening in a Sandbox said...

Lovely fall scenery for your walk. The owl has the most expressive face. Valerie

Zenserly said...

the sunflower shots gave me huge smiles with their beauty! and the owl's eyes are gorgeous! truly enjoyed the virtual walk with you :-)

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

You find the nicest places to hike Eileen. I like the field of sunflowers with all bowing their heads except one.
Judith

Carol said...

You find the prettiest places to visit, Eileen! Gorgeous shots. Such pretty sunflowers. The owl is so cool :) Have a great week!

Michelle said...

Looks like a nice outing...can't believe how full that sunflower field is. 'Hope you had a nice weekend.

Cloudy said...

So ein Spaziergang ist einfach herrlich, schön sind Deine Aufnahmen, es duftet bis hierhin...

Lieben Gruß
CL

Elaine said...

Wonderful collage, Eileen! Looks like a lovely day.

Maggie said...

So enjoyed taking this hike with you, the scenery is stunning. Amazing sunflowers, fabulous header shot!

Bob Bushell said...

I love your settings, the landscapes and owls head, awesome.

orchid0324 said...

Dearest Eileen,
So sorry for my belated comment.
What a wonderful day out you had ☆☆☆
Yes, amazing scene, picture of sunflowers♡♡♡ Oh, and superb shot of owl trying to remove the wire fence!!!
Thank you very much for the wonderful tour♬♬♬

Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

Hootin Anni said...

"The Pond"............that is so tranquil looking. I could sit there for hours and hours!!!

A Bit of the Blarney said...

Isn't Mr Owl a handsome fellow!?! And a field of sunflowers!!!! So lovely! Have a wonderful week! Cathy

Mary said...

Eileen~ What wonderful photos! I love that you were able to zoom in on the owl!

Kranky Granny said...

WOW! What a collection of photos you have shared. All wonderful but I have to admit to having a few favorites.

Love the sunflower in the field and that log house is fantastic. I would love to spend some time on that boat dock at the pond.

Catching that owl was sure a stroke of luck as well.

Lynne said...

Loved the sunflower field . . . a feast for the birds indeed. Golden Rod is a gorgeous wave of color, pretty to see, unless allergic, like me . . . smile. You take us on wonderful vista hikes Eileen. Loved the close up Owl eyes . . .

Montanagirl said...

Ah, now that was a wonderful hike. LOVE your Header, and those Owl eyes are pretty cool too. Great post.

Rajesh said...

Beautiful shots of place. There is something for everyone.

Jill Harrison said...

I love going on travels with you Eileen and seeing your corner of the world - always so interesting.
Have a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by my blog today. Yes, the native orchids are so beautiful aren't they. And what a scourge that invasive grass is!

Tiago Braga said...

Amazin, this place its just stunning, i want to go there and live there, amazing! love it, really

Anonymous said...

Hi Eileen, Love that Owl! Nice pictures. That cabin must have been interesting as well as the wildlife and birds. Have a wonderful day!

DIMI said...

I love owls!We have them here where i live!The photos of the sunflowers are amazing!All the photos are so beautiful!Wish you a lovely week Eillen!
Dimi..

xinex said...

Beautiful shots, Eileen! I especially love the owl!...Christine

Crafty Green Poet said...

what lovely photos, the sunflowers are amazing!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

What a great walk you took. Lots of scenery and birds to view. I love the owls also. They are not meant to be locked up but if they are injured then they can't really let them loose.

Anonymous said...

Eileen,

Thanks for coming by. This is a wonderful nature center. I would like to have hiked it myself. Your photos and that of the Great Horned Owk are wonderful.

Yael from Home Garden Center

Donna Heber said...

Hi Eileen,

I'm amazed by your photos! My husband loves owls and I will have to share your photo with him. We went to a Raptor Center a few years ago. You have captured such a beautiful place.

shirley said...

What a wonderful day. Love the photos, and I am glad you pulled over by the field of sunflowers. I would love to pass by a field like that!

Anonymous said...

Eileen I enjoyed taking this walk with you...such blessings.

Laurence Butler said...

Very pretty Eileen!

❀~Myrna~❀ said...

All your pics re amazing ! I love the sunflowers & the owl!

Maude Lynn said...

That shot of the owl is just incredible!

Unknown said...

Great sequence, Eileen. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

mick said...

Beautiful scenic views. The sunflowers are especially beautiful.

Linda Kittmer said...

I love sunflowers. It would be wonderful to see a whole field of them! I also love the shot you took of the owl!

Rohrerbot said...

Another beautiful walk. The rescue programs are hard for me to see but I understand their educational purposes and hopefully some of them get to fly around once and awhile. As for birds in the grass......well that's a tricky bit of birding. I tried it yesterday....very very difficult.

Sylvia K said...

What a wonderful walk you've shared with us, Eileen!! I love the flowers and colors and the owl is awesome!! That old cabin is terrific!! What a great place to visit!! Thanks for sharing the fun and the beauty!!

Beth said...

I adore your owl photo! You have created a wonderful mosaic with your beautiful nature photography. I loved seeing the pond too.

Raindrops and Daisies said...

Wow wow and wow again!

Wonderful pics
so pretty and vibrant.

x

Bettey said...

What a pretty place. That owl photo is very dramatic. I agree about loving his eyes!

Mildred said...

Gorgeous collage and nature photos!
Great capure of the owl!
Thanks for sharing;o)

***
Have a nice week****

Anonymous said...

Like a dream. Thank you. Please have you all a good Tuesday.

NatureFootstep said...

a perfect place to spend a day or two. Great nature and the owl is gret. I love that cabin. it is really beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous photos, Eileen and the mosaic is fantastic!

Valerie said...

A grand collage/mosaic Eileen, and the individual shots are great too. Love the owl and the lily-padded water.

Al said...

What a great nature center, I'd love visiting it. Nice photos!

EG CameraGirl said...

I would LOVE to visit the raptor centre. It must be sad to see them caged, but at least they have a life, which they would not out in the wild. I would like to see them up close since I still have so much trouble identifying them in the wild.

Andrea said...

Wow, that must be a good walk! I am envious with those of you who can walk long distances without feeling so tired because it is cold, while we here in the hot tropics cannot do the same length without being almost dehydrated, haha! I wonder also why among that sea of sunflowers, just 2 of them seem to be late bloomers. The fields are amazing! I go with you, i pity the raptors in cages!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Thanks for sharing your trip - Great photos. I bet the birds do love their sunflower buffet. :D Looks like the weather was perfect.
Thanks for stopping by and nice comment.

Gillian Olson said...

Beautiful mosaic Eileen, really wonderful series of pictures. What a great place.

Carver said...

What a wonderful place to explore. I loved all the shots but owl and sunflowers were my favorites.

betchai said...

wow, great shots, Eileen, like you, I also love the eyes of the owl, so deep with emotions. and love love the sunflower field

Sivinden said...

Beautiful landscapes! That owl is an impressive bird.

Unknown said...

i love the sunflower field---it's in my bucket list, to see a field of sunflowers someday.:p

the owl's gaze is penetrating--no wonder they are perceived to being wise.:p

Unknown said...

Once you've seen a sunflower field, you never forget it! I also love that watery place...thanks for taking us with you!
I see -you're on Pinterest too!

Anonymous said...

A beautiful display of photos! The sunflowers are glorious and the fields and lake... I think it's time for me to go to somewhere like this - all I've seen in the last ten years is desert!

Ingmarie We said...

It is always so nice to visit your blog and see all your beautiful photos. Fantastic mosaics too. I eally do like the owl.

Fun60 said...

Enjoyed the tour but loved the photo of the sunflowers. They look as though they are bowing their heads to the sun and saying good-bye to the Summer.

chica said...

Maravilhosas,não cansamos de ver !!Lindos girassóis!!ADORO! beijos,chica

Hootin Anni said...

Beautiful....but I really want to know this...inquiring minds wanna know....how do you pronounce HASHAWHA? That owl just stands out above all else in your collage.

ShySongbird said...

A very nice place to visit Eileen. I have never seen so many Sunflowers together, stunning...what a treat for the birds eventually. As you say, sad to see birds in cages but it sounds like they are doing a good job for them.

Love the hummer on the last post, gorgeous!

Lovely photos throughout.

HansHB said...

Great photos of the owl!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Wonderful collage and wonderful place. Your sunflower field makes a beautiful header too.

A Colorful World said...

What a wonderful Nature Center! Gorgeous pictures!

Kathie Brown said...

Eileen, just gorgeous! Love the fields, the sunflowers and the old cabin!

Eden said...

Wow..I love all the photos, Eileen! I love your header too.

Sorry for the late visit.

Virginia Maria de Jesus Fassarella said...

Passei para agradecer a visita ao blog.
Fotos encantadoras, principalmente a dos pássaros, amei a corujinha.
Uma boa semana. Até breve.

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a ha ppy new week! "Autumn leaves are nature's way of showing us how beautiful it is to let go....