Sunrise & more

Linking up with NF Winged   and  Skywatch Friday

These are some shots from this past weekend, Memorial Day in my sister's yard, a Downy Woodpecker the moon two mornings after the full moon and a sunrise on my way to work.


For NF Winged this week I am sharing two juvie Brown Thrashers seen in my sister's yard this past weekend. They look like they are being well fed.

I think they are so cute! It's diet is mostly insects, fruits and nuts. The female lays 3 to 5 eggs. The nest can be found in dense bushes or low in a tree. 9-13 days after hatching the nestlings begin to fledge.

This may be one of the adults also seen on the ground, my sister throws seed out for the birds, deer and other critters.

The Downy Woodpecker landed on the tree above our heads as we walk up the trail. I could hear the baby woodpecker sounds coming from the hole right below the Downy's tail.

A butt shot, you can see one of the woodies foot holding on the outside while leaning in to feed the baby woodies.

I love watching the phases of the moon, this was taken a morning or two after the full moon. This moon on May 27, 2013 is called a Waning Gibbous. The actual full moon was on May 25, 2013. May's full moon is called the Full Flower Moon also known as Mother's Moon, Milk Moon and the Corn Planting Moon.

On my way to work, I had to pull over for a couple shots of this sunrise. The colors are gorgeous.

Thanks for visiting my post and  blog and I always appreciate your comments.

Happy Skywatching  to everyone!

To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and to see more of the winged critters check out NF Winged

Thanks to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday! Thanks to Monica the host of NF Winged.  Also, thank you for stopping by to see my post. I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.

The Wood Stork

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

For this week's wild bird  I am posting about the Wood Storks we saw while vacationing in Florida. They were mostly seen in the Everglades National Park and some in the Corkscrew Sanctuary. I have mentioned before it is one of my lifers from Florida.

The Florida Wood Stork a long legged wading bird and is listed as an endangered species.

They are about 45 inches tall and their wing span is about 60-65 inches. Their head and neck area are missing the feathers. They are mostly white except for the lack on the primaries

Wood Stork rookery in the Everglades National Park.

Love this shot of their large wings stretched out..  Due to adverse water management practices in Florida the nesting Wood Storks have shifted their nesting colonies. The Everglades restoration project includes the needs of the Wood Stork and their nesting success

The Wood Stork is a highly colonial species nesting in large rookeries and feeding in flocks. We saw a lot of Wood Stork babies.They can lay eggs as early as October and fledge by February or March.

I hope you enjoyed my Wild Bird post. Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your nice comments.
Join in and post your birdies and to see more beautiful and wonderful bird photos please visit:
 Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Michelle's  Nature Notes.
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday and thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes.
I wish everyone a happy week ahead and Happy Birding!

Sharing the Beach

  I am linking up with   Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday

Happy Memorial Day Weekend....God Bless and special thanks to all the veterans and our military men and women.

The Memorial Day weekend is usually the start of summer vacations and trips to the beaches. I wanted to remind bird lovers and beach lovers to help protect and still enjoy the shorebirds and the cute beach nesters.

This week my post is on some of the birds that nest on beaches. Since it is time for the beach nesting birds and summer is almost here my post is about protecting the beach nesters. There are some great tips for all beach lovers that are easy to follow.

 The Black Skimmers, American Oystercatchers and the Terns are all birds that nest on the dunes. I have seen them at Cape May, Maryland Beaches like Assateague and at Chincoteague beach. I believe these birds nest on beaches up and down the eastern coast of the US.

 I saw this Florida Audubon poster which has some great tips on how to protect the beach nesting birds. These simple things should be done as long as the birds are nesting and the chicks are seen on the beaches ....not just for the holiday weekend. These suggestions should be followed by beach lovers not only from Florida but up and down the US coastlines. 

There are simple things listed that everyone can do to help protect these birds, their nest and the chicks. Above are some of my shots of the Piping Plovers.

Above is a photo of a Piping Plover seen at Curry Hammock State Park in the Florida Keys. I thought the Florida Audubon notice was perfect since I was sharing the Piping Plover I saw while in Florida. But, I would hope all the Audubon Chapters located on the East Coast of the US would have the same kind of notice protecting the beach nesting birds.

I hope you enjoyed my post and thanks for visiting my blog and post. I really appreciate your comment too.
Join in on the fun and for more wonderful photos please visit  Mosaic Monday and more from  Our World Tuesday
 Thanks to our host: Mary our host of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  Thanks also for stopping by to see my post.  I wish everyone a happy week!

Bald Eagles

I am linking up Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-B-Birdin.

Happy Memorial Day weekend.  God Bless and Thank You to our Veterans and soldiers!

These are some shots of the Bald Eagles hubby and I saw last weekend in Delaware. Most of the Eagles were seen at Bombay Hook NWR and one on a field as we were driving to the wildlife refuge.

We saw this juvie Bald Eagle land on this field, it captured something to eat twice as we watched from the side of the road.

This eagle was perched along the side of the wildlife drive in Bombay Hook NWR.

Also seen at Bombay Hook this Eagle was sitting on top of one of the mounds where we usually see ducks or geese sitting.

A cloudy gray evening, this Bald Eagle was perched on a dead tree limb in Bombay Hook NWR.

A few more critters we saw during our visit to the wildlife refuge.

I hope you enjoyed my critter post. I hope everyone has a happy weekend. Thanks for stopping by and I always appreciate your comments. To see more beautiful photos and cute critters

 please visit:  Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious hosts Misty Dawn of Camera Critters and to Anni of I'd Rather-B-birdin.

Around the Yard

Linking up with NF Winged   and  Skywatch Friday

This weekend is Memorial Weekend, I wish everyone that celebrates a safe and happy holiday.

Just sharing some of the skies and scenes around my yard. And of course, I have to throw in some of my yardbirds.

 

Above you can see the Great Blue Heron's butt, it is in the nest across from my neighbor's yard. I see the herons fly across my yard and then I will hear the clucking and chatter from the baby herons. I have also found a second nest not too far away. 

Above are a couple of male Cardinals and a male House Finch.

Lots of red in this post, above is one of my favorite birds the Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

The sky and trees around my yard this evening. 

Around the side of our yard are the big rhododendron bushes.

93 % full moon Waxing Gibbous on May 22 this shot was taken around 7:55PM

Thanks for visiting my post and  blog and I always appreciate your comments.

Happy Skywatching  to everyone!

To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and to see more of the winged critters check out NF Winged

Thanks to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday! Thanks to Monica the host of NF Winged.  Also, thank you for stopping by to see my post. I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.

Orioles

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

My prayers go out to the people of Moore Oklahoma.


This week's bird is the Oriole. Luckily I have seen different species of Orioles the last two weeks. These are the boys of summer. At the local park there were lots of Baltimore Orioles and during my last trip to Bombay Hook I was able to see the Orchard Oriole.

The Baltimore Oriole. The Baltimore Orioles can be found at backyard feeders, they like oranges and grape jelly and the sweet nectar found in the hummingbird feeders. Adult males are flame orange and black.

1st summer male Orchard Oriole, this male is similar to the female except for the black throat patch.

Orchard Oriole, is the smallest North American Oriole. The rich chestnut color can be so dark the bird can appear black.

I saw a lot of Orchard Orioles at Bombay Hook NWR.

My favorite shots of the Orioles are of the Orchard Oriole on this wheat colored grass.

I hope you enjoyed my Oriole post and  photos.
Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your nice comments. I always appreciate your visits.
Join in and post your birdies and to see more beautiful and wonderful bird photos please visit:
 Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Michelle's  Nature Notes.
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday and thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes.
I wish everyone a happy week ahead and Happy Birding!

A walk in the park

 I am linking up with   Our World Tuesday

 I have mentioned previously how hubby and I enjoy our walks on the weekends. And with the birds migrating thru the area I try to pick a different place for our walk on the weekends. So, last Sunday hubby and I took our walk at Cromwell Valley Park in Baltimore County.

A pretty Barn Swallow

 Female Eastern Bluebird

Cromwell Valley Park was acquired by using funds from the Maryland's Program Open Space project. Previously it was land owned by three different property owners which consisted of  two farms and a Christmas tree farm. The park is 426 acres of rural farm land, fields, woods and orchards and is an excellant habitat for the wildlife. Cromwell Valley Park is also is one of the local hawkwatch stations.

Male Eastern Bluebird

 Baltimore Oriole.

A patch of wildflowers that we walked past.


My walk at the park was a large loop trail next to the fields, thru the woods, over the stream, between the barns. My mission to see a Bobolink that was reported in the area. Birds seen at the park: Yellow-rump Warblers, Common-Yellowthroat warbler, Eastern Bluebirds, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, Flycatchers, Phoebe, Chickadees, Hawks, Red-Wing Blackbirds, Barn Swallows, Tree Swallows, Belted Kingfisher, Gray Catbirds and Eastern Kingbirds. I am sure I am forgetting a bird or two as usual I did not keep a list that day. I hope you enjoyed coming with us on the walk.

Thanks for visiting my blog and post. I really appreciate your comments too.
Join in on the fun and for more wonderful photos
please visit   Our World Tuesday
Thanks to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.
Thanks also for stopping by to see my post.  I wish everyone a happy week ahead!

The Rookery

I am linking up Camera Critters and I'd rather-b-birdin


These shots are from a few weekends ago, hubby and I visited the rookery in York Pa. It is not too far from where I live and I like to watch the progress of the heron and egrets on the nest. I've posted about visiting this rookery on previous years.

The rookery is located in these pine trees which surround a man-made lake in the middle of the city of York Pa. It is a busy place, with children playing and fishing and some people just walking the loop around the lake.

If you go there look closely in the pine trees you will see the nest. Each tree we looked into we saw the egret and heron nest. Some trees had multiple nest of both the Night Heron  and Egret.

Black Crowned Night heron above us in one of the pine trees.

This Night Heron was walking on the branches in the tree just above our heads.

The Night Herons are another one of my favorites.

There is something cool about the BC Night Heron's eye.

The lake had these huge fish, they looked about the size of the night heron. Ok, maybe not that big , but they were BIG.

For more cuteness, how about this family of ducks. Have you ever seen a family of 16 ducklings? They were also in the lake with the huge fish, Mallard ducks and Canada Geese.

 It was fun watching the Night Heron fly back and forth across the lake. I think they were finding more sticks for their nest.

I hope you enjoyed my critter post. I hope everyone has a happy weekend. Thanks for stopping by and I always appreciate your comments. To see more beautiful photos and cute critters

 please visit:  Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious hosts Misty Dawn of Camera Critters and to Anni of I'd Rather-B-birdin.