Loggerhead Shrike and more

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

I know you all find it hard to believe but I still have more Florida birds and even a lifer I have not posted. So with out further delay, here is one of my cool Florida lifers.... the Loggerhead Shrike.

My Loggerhead Shrike lifer happened on the same street as my Burrowing Owl lifer.  Cool, two lifers within blocks of each other. The Shrike was sitting on a wire across the road I was driving on, I had to turn around and do a double take to make sure of the birds id. The Loggerhead Shrike is also known as the Butcher Bird. It eats insects, lizards and small birds. I will not go into the gory details on what the Shrike does to its food before its eat them.

Not the best photos of my Loggerhead Shrike but you can definitely see the bird's features.  The Shrike has a large hook bill, the head and back are grey and the underparts are white. The wings and tail are black,  with white patches on the wings and white on the outer tail feather. The black face mask extends over its bill unlike that of the similar but larger Northern Shrike. I have seen the Northern Shrike here in Maryland.

So, in the same Florida neighborhood I saw my lifer the Burrowing Owl and the cool Loggerhead Shrike. I would not mind living on this street with the cool birds.

Seeing the Burrowing owls was one of the trip's highlights for me. So seeing them a couple of times in different places made my day and trip.

 Seeing a new bird for the first time is exciting, I hope you enjoyed my Loggerhead Shrike and Burrowing Owls.

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.

Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your nice comments. I always appreciate your visits.
I wish everyone a happy week ahead and Happy Birding!

More from Myakka

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday .

 For this week's post I am sharing my photos from our Florida vacation and Myakka River State Park. I did a post below on more of the birds and critters we saw while visiting Myakka.

A loop trail took us to the Canopy walkway where the tower soars 74 feet in the air. We had a view of the tree tops.

The boardwalk took us to a wildlife viewing area. During our short visit here we saw the wild turkeys, little blue herons, tr-colored herons, osprey, great blue heron, black vultures and some egrets.

You can take an airboat tour up on the upper Myakka Lake. Canoeing and kayaking was also available near the boat ramps or dock.

This Little Blue heron was keeping company with a couple of Black Vultures. We enjoyed our visit to the Myakka River State Park, we saw as much as could in a small amount of time.

 As always, I hope you enjoy my post and thanks for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

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.  I wish everyone a happy week!

Myakka River State Park

I am linking up Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-b-birdin I hope you will join in on the fun and share your critters and birds.

It is hard to believe I still have Florida vacation photos to share. These are some birds and critters seen at the Myakka River State Park in Florida.

Tricolored Heron and a gator.

Pretty sure this is the Great Egret. I love this preening shot, the egrets are beautiful birds.

Great Blue heron

Cute deer

Anhinga and an Egret. The Anghina is drying its wings.

I believe this is the Red Shouldered Hawk. Please let me know if I am not correct with my id.

We saw a group of  wild turkeys in this field.

I had to zoom in to catch this Common Moorhen. As you can see there were some great birds and critters in the Myakka River State Park. 

 Ok, here is my new list for the week of my favorite blogs to visit and if you missed any... look back at all my previous Saturday posts they go as far back as 6/22/13.

 Visit with Irma @ Irma's blog  you can see some adorable Grebe babies and lovely nature photos.

Mona's Montanagirl blog is always worth a visit. She is a wonderful nature photographer.

Kim @ Lirralirra is another Australian blogger, she shares beautiful birds and nature photos.

Juliet can be found blogging @ Crafty green poet is from the UK. She shares beautiful nature scenes, poems and shares a lot of my beliefs on conservation.

Dawn @ Dawn's Bloggy blog has unbelievable energy when it comes to nature, birding and blogging. Dawn and her hubby share their travels in their home on wheels. Following Dawn's blog helped in joining the group Birders who Blog, tweet and chirp it can be found on facebook here BwBTC

I hope you are able to find some time to visit some of my favorite blogs above, they are all wonderful bloggers.

 I wish everyone a happy weekend.

 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.

On the way, July 24

I am linking up with NF Winged   and  Skywatch Friday

July 24, 2013

These birds and  sky shots are all from this week, seen either on my way to work or on my way to the mailbox. 

 

A shot of the moon setting, this phase taken this morning is called the Waning Gibbous

A colorful sunrise this morning seen on my way to work.

This is one of the more colorful sunrises I have seen lately. Either the sky is cloudy or very clear. 

A Scarlet Tanager seen during one of my walks along the fireroad this week.

Lately I have been seeing more birds in the trees and bushes by my mailbox. This looks like a juvie Gray Catbird.

Some storm clouds moving across my sky.

One day this week..a little bit of blue but the sky was mostly cloudy.I hope you enjoy my post.  Happy Skywatching everyone!

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

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.   I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.

Birding is Fun

Just a little note if you like to come visit my very first post at Birding is Fun.

I will be posting there once a month about my yardbirds or trip reports.

I hope to see you there, Eileen

Goldfinches

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes


My featured bird this week is the American Goldfinch.. The male is a vibrant yellow in the summer and olive color in the winter months. The female is a dull yellow and brighten a little during the summer. They are about 4.3 to 5.5 inches long.

 Their beak is small, conical and pink for most of the year but will turn a bright orange with the spring molt. The Goldfinch eats insects and dines on the seed of the annual plants.

Looks like a cute juvie.. the color on the beak looks a little different..But the juvenile is usually olive-brown in color so maybe this is a first year male?

The song of the  Goldfinch is a mixture of warbles and twitters often with a long note. I hope you enjoyed my Goldfinches..

 I am looking forward to seeing your wild birds. I will be doing a special post tomorrow..my first as a contributor to Birding is fun I hope you can visit me there.

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.

Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your nice comments. I always appreciate your visits.
I wish everyone a happy week ahead and Happy Birding!

Birds, Blooms and Butterflies

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday .

July 21, 2013

Even though it is still hot this weekend I was able to sit out on my deck and enjoy the birds, butterflies and blooms. The Great Blue Herons have been really noisy lately, they are growing bigger and sound even louder. From my deck I can see them flapping their wings even though all the trees block my view of their nest.

It was neat this weekend sitting out on my deck and watching an eagle fly over my yard.

This Sulfur and the Tiger Swallowtail seem to prefer the Purple Coneflowers over the butterfly bushes.

The Goldfinches add some bright color to my yard, the males are such a bright and pretty yellow.

A pretty male American Goldfinch.

I have been enjoying the butterflies around the Fritallaries seem to be one of the common butterflies in my yard.

The Tiger Swallowtail butterfly

A Carolina Wren, I have a family of these cute birds hopping and singing around my yard. As always, I hope you enjoy my post and thanks for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

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.  I wish everyone a happy week!

More from Around the Yard, July 20

I am linking up Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-b-birdin I hope you will join in on the fun and share your critters and birds.

It has been a hot humid week here in Maryland, other than going to work and coming home to a cool house I have not been anywhere to take different shots. It's too hot!!!!! So these may look the same but they are new photos. The Ruby Throated Hummingbird easily entertains me. Goldie Girl has had a hair cut for the summer and looks more like a Labrador than a Golden Retriever. She is still my cutie!! I caught a Chipping Sparrow singing loudly by my mailbox. And I am trying Tex's idea of putting out fruit to attract more butterflies. I am not having much success. :(  So that sums up my week and now for the photos.

Goldie Girl looking more like a Lab. See my cute bear, it's ear and nose was chewed off by my neighbors Labrador mix Marlow. He came over for a visit, despite his invisible fence. A wild puppy, he is a handful.

I am going thru more sugar water now, and very happy to provide food for these cute hummingbirds.

A hummer near the monster trumpet vine on our deck.

Another shot of my male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Hummingbird Moth at our butterfly bushes. It has a cute fuzzy bottom.

I have caught this one butterfly, at least I think it is a butterfly at the fruit feeder. The fruit feeder is an idea I stole copied from Tex, except she has had more success. Tex, what am I doing wrong?
I did catch some green looking flies and found a good way to be rid of overripe fruit.  :) We go thru more bananas, I usually eat one a day. The mushy bananas go out to the fruit feeder.

A loud Chipping Sparrow in the pine tree by my mailbox.  He is peeping at me while I get the mail.

If you have time click on my links and visit with my blogging friends and their blogs. Where else can you visit Africa, the south of France, the United Kingdom, I believe Sweden and last but not least Virginia, USA all in the same day?

 Ok, here is my new list for the week of my favorite blogs to visit and if you missed any... look back at all my previous Saturday posts they go as far back as 6/22/13.

Jo's Memorable Meanders  visit with Jo, she will take you to Africa and shares her beautiful birds, scenery and life in Africa.

1000-pattes Noushka has been sharing some amazing birds and insects. Awesome and beautiful nature photos.

Birds & Nature in the Forest of Dean,  Bob has awesome closeup of great birds. I am in awe everytime I visit his site.

NF Winged  Monica has this fun meme on Thursdays..sharing birds, insects and anything with wings. I love all her birds and nature photos and appreciate her hosting this meme.

Life at golden pines..Kim is truly a loving person ..she runs a Golden Retriever rescue... which is a very generous thing to do. I wish I had the time and funds to do the same...I love my goldens...Goldie Girl and before her my first golden love.. Daisy. 
I hope you enjoyed this variety of photos and critters. 

 I wish everyone a happy weekend.

 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, July 17

I am linking up with NF Winged   and  Skywatch Friday

 I have a hard time believing it is the middle of July already, time goes by so quickly. It is my favorite time of the week, sharing my skies with Skywatch Friday and some yardbirds for NF Winged. I hope you can join in on our fun. It has been a hot and humid week here in Maryland.  I hope everyone is staying cool.

 For the birdies part of my post, I am sharing the Brown-headed Cowbird and a Redbellied Woodpecker above.

 I have a Brown-headed Cowbird pair hanging around my feeders, they left their eggs for the Cardinals to take over the parenting job.

A male House Finch, looking pretty with his colorful red head.

The House Finch couple.

 I have been enjoying the Sunrise on my way to work. Some of these photos were taken over a couple of mornings.

While everyone seems to be in a hurry in the morning, I guess they are in a hurry to get to work. If I see a nice sky I will pull over to snap a few photos.

 This moon shot..phase is the Waxing Crescent taken on July 14, 2013. I enjoy these simple pleasures watching the birds and skywatching. I hope you enjoy my post.  Happy Skywatching everyone!

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

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.   I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.