White Ibis

August 31, 2013

Happy Labor Day weekend!!!!

I am linking up Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-b-birdin   I hope you are joining in and posting your birds and critters. 

These are some of my favorite shots of  one of the White Ibis we saw while on vacation in Florida. I love the color of the legs and bill. We were walking on a trail in the Fort De Soto Park near Tampa when we noticed this pretty White Ibis.

During the first 10 days of the breeding season, the skin deepens to deep pink on the bill and legs. Then the bill fades to a pale pink with a darkish tip.

We saw this bird while walking on one of the nature trails in Fort DeSoto Park on our last day of our Florida vacation.

A beautiful blue eye. The blue eyes remind me of Elton John's song Blue Eyes, Babys got blue eyes, like a deep blue sea, on a blue, blue day.


I will continue my favorite five bloggers list next week.

Thanks for stopping by and  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 in August

 August 29, 2013

It's that time to link up with  Skywatch Friday 
I am looking forward to seeing everyone's beautiful skies, I hope you can join in with Skywatch Friday.

These are some various shots taken from my backyard, some sky shots, some birds and butterfly in the month of August. Sometimes it can be so easy to enjoy the simple things in life.

A blue sky and a pretty Tiger Swallowtail.

This shots reminds me of a hand with the index finger pointing up.  Pointing up...that is a good sign to see right?

A cloudy day, but they are cool looking clouds.

A moon shot on the morning of August 24..is the Waning Gibbous 84% full.

My juvie Eastern Wood PeWee.. has a slight crest at the back of the crown, dusky flanks, wingbars and a two-tone bill. I have been watching this bird hanging around the yard lately. 

I was able to snap a few photos with different poses of my Eastern Wood PeWee.

  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

Thanks to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday!    I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.

Hooded Warbler

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

On Sunday morning hubby and I took our walk on one of the reservoir fireroad trails.  The Hooded Warbler is one of the birds seen in this area. We were not disappointed with at least two Hooded Warblers moving around a tree covered in berries. I am using one of my archived shots of the Hooded Warbler, the birds we saw moved around much too quickly for a photo. But, we had fantastic views of this beautiful bird.

The Hooded Warbler is one of the warblers I am starting to learn its song or sounds. I could hear this bird even before we were close. I love the pretty color and markings on this warbler, it is one of my favorite warblers. The male Hooded Warbler has a yellow mask in a jet black hood.

Seeing the Hooded Warbler reminds me of the quote.. My favorite bird is the bird I am seeing right now. I am sorry I can not find the author of the quote and I may not have the quote worded perfectly. But, I think you can tell I too have many favorite birds.

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!

Eastern Towhee & more

  I am linking up with  Our World Tuesday 

August 26, 2013

This weekend was a fun weekend at my sister place for my niece's baby shower. I guess most of you know that I can not go anywhere without checking out the birds and wildlife. So my post is on my sister's backyard birds and critters and some shots from the baby shower.

A field of sunflowers I passed along the way to my sister's house.

My sister well fed groundhog and an adult Eastern Towhee.

Bambi, Eastern Towhee, groundhog and a juvenile Eastern Towhee.

Bambi in my sister yard, isn't it cute?

Juvenile Eastern Towhee, my sister throws out bags of corn for the critters.

My nephew's wife made this beautiful quilt as a shower gift for my niece, she also made yummy white chocolate pretzels and lollipops, brownies and oreo mini cheesecakes.. All the food at the shower was delicious. The cake was cute with the jungle animals and surrounded with iced cupcakes. It was a fun day, my sister will be a grandmother for the first time and I will be a great-aunt.


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 Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  I wish everyone a happy week!

Birding is fun

I am linking up Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-b-birdin   I hope you are joining in and posting your birds and critters. This week my post will be shared with Birding is fun

Please visit my monthly post is up at Birding is Fun

Above is the Bald Eagle and to see more of my post and more great birds. I hope you can stop by and check it out.


 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 my post on 6/22/13.


Jen @ I used to hate birds shares some great birds from Oregon and the Pacific Northwest region of the USA.  I enjoy reading about her birding outings and seeing her beautiful dogs Jake and Ralph.

Michelle at Rambling woods from western New York shares the beautiful wildlife in her backyard habitat. Michelle is also the wonderful host of the meme Nature Notes 

Kerri at A Little Piece of Me shares her beautiful nature photography and wonderful quotes.

Mia at On the wing photography is an amazing wildlife photographer. Mia's website is a must see for any bird or animal lover.

Ken @ Rosyfinch Ramblings is an awesome photographer sharing birds from Florida and his travels.


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

Thanks for stopping by and  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.

Blue Moon

I am linking up with NF Winged   and  Skywatch Friday

Aug 22, 2013


It's time for Skywatch and my birds for NF Winged, I hope to see everyone sharing their skies and birds. On August 20 there was a rare full moon. The full moon this August is known as the Blue Moon or the Full Sturgeon Moon. It is the third of four full moon in a season, most seasons only have 3 full moons. My shot was actually the full moon setting on the morning of August 21.

I just love zooming in on the moon, it is so beautiful.

The shadow in the bottom right is part of our pine tree. The moon was starting to set behind the tree.

Skywatching from our deck...watching the contrail.

Another one of hubby's sunset shots at our lake.

And now for the NF Winged part of my post I am sharing one of my juvenile Cardinals, Turkeys and a couple butteflies.

One of the neighbors is raising turkeys..you can reserve one for Thanksgiving Day dinner.

A Fritillary Butterfly on our Buddleia butterfly bush.

A Tiger Swallowtail on our pretty butterfly bush.


  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.

Northern Cardinal

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes


This week I enjoyed watching the juvenile Cardinal begging for food from its Momma. The juveniles look so cute.

For some reason the adult female Cardinal look like she is wearing lipstick.

Please Momma FEED ME. Poor Momma is probably looking for help from Daddy Cardinal . And  Daddy is just too busy off chasing other cardinals out of his yard.

I think shot is especially cute, the look on Momma Cardinal. I think she is saying baby you are growing up so fast. Time to start feeding yourself.  I hope you enjoy my Cardinal as much as I do.

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!

Birding the Riley's Lock

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

For this week's post I am sharing Saturday's walk at Riley's Lock on the C&O canal trail.  It is a pretty trail for walking, biking or jogging with beautiful views of the Potomac River. The 184 mile C&O canal trail goes from Georgetown, Md to Cumberland Md. I have birded parts of this trail at various times of the year.

Above the Potomac River, a Great Egret and Double-Crested Cormorants.

These are the Eastern Painted Turtles..part of the pond turtle family. The have bright yellow spots on either side of the head. It's skin can be olive to black with red, yellow or orange stripes.

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Above is the Green heron, Wood Ducks and a few turtles.

The Red-eared Slider turtle gets its name from the red stripe behind its eye. The sliders leave the water to bask in the sun.

The Green Heron is my favorite heron and I can almost be guaranteed to see a Green Heron at this spot during this time of the year. I was not disappointed hubby and I quickly found 6 Green Herons hunting out in the open. After leaving Riley's Lock we drove further down River Rd to one of our other favorite places the Vie de France bakery and cafe. We picked up a Turkey&Brie on a french roll along with some drinks and I can not forget their yummy chocolate chip cookies. We took our lunch down to the Great Falls Nat'l Park for our picnic and another walk on the trail.

Above scenes from the Great Falls National Park, C&O Canal, towpath horses, canal boat, deer.

There are seven locks along the Potomac River including Riley's Lock and the Great Falls National Park which is located on the Maryland side of the Potomac River.


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!

Around the yard, Aug 17

August 17, 2013

I am linking up Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-b-birdin   I hope you are joining in and posting your birds and critters.

The head of the family..the male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

 When I come home from work I can whistle after putting out some peanuts on my deck railing and the Redbellied Woodie immediately shows up.

The White-Breasted Nuthatch prefers the sunflower seeds or the suet. Above he/she landed on my pergola is waiting for me to put out more seed and go inside.

Above is the Red-spotted Purple butterfly. This butterfly has red spots on its underside and at the top of its wings.

Goldie Girl enjoys fetching sticks at the lake.

Goldie Girl waiting for a stick to be thrown.

I am trying to learn the dragonfly id's. So I believe my dragonfly is the female Common Whitetail.

And  I am guessing on this to be the Blue Dasher.I hope you enjoyed my birds, butterfly, dragonflies and of my Goldie Girl.

I want to share some of my favorite bloggers some live and work hard on their farms.

 Teresa @ Edenhills  Teresa shares her life on the farm, her wonderful goats, cows and the other animals on her farm. I am an animal lover and I enjoy reading about her farm animals.

Tammy @ Our neck of the woods is blogging about her life homesteading. It is an interesting blog with info on growing their own food, raising chickens and even bee-keeping.

Arija @ Garden Delights shares her life in Australia. Her travels, gardens and her beautiful Australian birds.

Nora @ Island Rambles from Vancouver  shares her awesome wildlife sightings. Like the Orca Whale and wonderful bird sightings.

Karen @ Pixel Posts is from Ontario. Karen shares her beautiful scenic shots, birds and flowers. I always enjoy seeing her lovely photos.

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

Thanks for stopping by and  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.

A PeWEE

I am linking up with NF Winged   and  Skywatch Friday

August 15, 2013

It's time for Skywatch and one of my birds for NF Winged, I hope to see everyone sharing their skies and birds. 

According the field guide the Pewee has a dark head and a partial eye ring. 

My field guide points out that the wing tips extend far past the uppertail coverts. I believe the photo above shows this point.

I am pretty sure this is a Eastern Wood Pewee in the flycatcher family. I have been hearing one nearby our yard, their song a rising... peeeaWEEE, it sounds almost like they are saying their own name.

These sky shots are thanks to my hubby. He found a spot at our lake that is wonderful for viewing the sunset.

Beautiful layers of colors, hubby is getting good with my camera. What do you think?

Hubby has a good eye for a pretty reflection too. I hope you enjoy my bird and hubby's skywatch. I am happy to share his photos this week.


  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.