Around the yard_March 30

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 


These images are from the past week up to yesterday.. I am finally seeing some new spring birds moving back into our yard and neighborhood..The weather has had its ups and downs..Snow, rain and finally some warmer weather.

 The above photos were taken this past week on Tuesday, when we had some snow. Hubby took the shots at our lake with the sun setting, snow and ice and the Canada Geese enjoying some open water.

 The lake still has some ice but is melting fast now..

The above shots were all taken on Saturday..almost the end of March. I am seeing some new Spring birds..the Great Blue herons have returned to their nest across from my neighbors driveway. The Chipmunks have been up on my deck collecting seeds.. The squirrels are always around. The Pine Warbler and Downy woodie are sharing the suet.. A Purple Finch is an occasional visitor to my yard and the last shot is the FOY cute Chipping Sparrow..

I was standing on my deck when I noticed two GB herons flying over my yard back to the old nest from last year.. I watched for awhile one of the herons gathering sticks to re-enforce the old nest. I love being able to watch and see their progress on the nest.. 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 ahead!
I hope you enjoyed our quick visit to the shore and seeing the birds. 

Saturday's Critters #17

Saturday's Critters #17


Hello, can you believe it is almost the end of March. We are expecting a rainy Saturday and more rain into Sunday.. I do hope it is rain and not snow. On Monday, March 31 it is the opening day game for my hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles.. I hope they do well.

 Ok, it is time for Saturday's Critter party.  Link up your post and have some fun seeing all the different critters.   It is fun to visit with some new bloggers and catch up with some old blogging friends.  Either way, I hope everyone enjoys the critters.

My photos and birds are from our trip to the shore last weekend.. Above is a Great Blue Heron looking pretty..seen at the Prime Hook NWR in Delaware.

At Ocean City's inlet a few Black Scoters and the gulls in mid-air.. I love the gulls, I think it is a funny shot. Not sure of the the id on the gulls.. There are were too many variations of gull species, I have not even tried to id the gulls.

 I missed seeing the Purple Sandpipers at the inlet, usually they would be seen along the inlet wall but all I saw there were these gulls..

I like this shot of the Black Scoters, it shows the orange knob on their bill.

The Red-Breasted Merganser was also seen at the Ocean City inlet during our trip.. The Male has a green head, rusty breast and a shaggy crest..

An InLinkz Link-up

Thank you for linking up to the critter party. I appreciate the visits, comments and the support of my blogging friends..

To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes

Please visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni of I'd Rather-B-birdin. Also, sharing with Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting.

 Thanks for stopping by and  I wish everyone a happy weekend.

Ocean City, Maryland

Linking up with Skywatch Friday 

These shots were from last weekend's getaway to the shore.. Since we spent the night we were able to watch the sunset at Ocean City's inlet.  And while at the inlet I had to check out the birds, mostly sea ducks.

It is hard trying to focus on a bird sitting in the ocean while the waves are moving up and down. But, I thought this shot of the Common Loon is cute.

This is the same bird as above, I happened to see more of the bird than the water.

There was a big group of Scoter's a the inlet I caught them floating by the reflection..

I hope you enjoy my sunsets and the Common Loon photos. I hope to see you on Saturday sharing your critters.. Thank you for visiting my post!


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 long weekend.

Tundra Swan & Mute Swan

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

If you have the time, I hope you can stop by and visit my monthly post on Birding is fun .

This week I am featuring the Swans.. Mainly the Tundra Swan compared to the Mute Swan.


The TUNDRA SWAN

 The Tundra Swan is the American version of the Eurasian Bewick's Swan. They have a black bill and face and their bodies are all white.

 The Tundra Swan wingspan is 66.1 inches.. Another fact, they stay in flocks until they reach their breeding territory..

 The MUTE SWAN

  The Mute Swan is a pretty Swan with the orange bill and a black face.

 The Mute Swan is a non-native bird to America.. It was introduced to parks and ponds of estates. Escaped individuals have formed breeding populations. Their aggressive behavior threatens native waterfowl and are considered a threat to the native Trumpeter Swan..In some states their numbers are way above an acceptable range and measures are taken to decrease their population.

I hope you enjoyed my post on the swans..  Thanks for stopping by my post and for all the 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 our host Michelle our host Stewart.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Birding the Delaware-Maryland shore

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

If you have the time on Monday, I hope you can stop by and visit my monthly post on Birding is fun .

This weekend , hubby and I made a quick overnight trip to the Delaware and Maryland shores.  We stopped in a few places birding along the way..

 Our first stop was at Bombay Hook NWR. Above is a pair of Hooded Mergansers, Pied Billed Grebe, Coot, Yellowlegs and a GB Heron.

The Northern Shoveler is a pretty duck, love its colors and the cool bill..This duck seemed to be a common sight in Bombay Hook NWR.

 Our second stop was Prime Hook NWR, a pretty view of the wetlands and the birds. Above are the Northern Shoveler, Osprey, GB Heron, Osprey nest, Yellowlegs and another Osprey.

My first sighting of the Osprey this year, seen in Port Mahon, Delaware.

One of our last stops was Ocean City, Md were we spent the night.. We enjoyed seeing the sea ducks at the inlet and watched the sunset.

A pretty view from the balcony of our OC room..

The Sea Ducks above are the male and female Surf Scoters.. The male has a colorful bill. They winter along the Atlantic Coast.

I hope you enjoyed this week's post on our getaway to the shore and seeing all the cool birds.


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 ahead!
I hope you enjoyed our quick visit to the shore and seeing the birds. 

Saturday's Critters #16

Saturday's Critters #15


Hello blogging friends,  time for Saturday's Critter party.  Link up your post and have some fun seeing all the different critters..   It is fun to visit with some new bloggers and some old blogging friends.  Either way, I hope everyone has a great day and enjoys all the critters.

These photos are from Monday March 17, St. Patricks Day.. I was home from work because of another snowstorm..

The snow brings many birds to my yard and feeders.. On this day, I saw a lot of Cardinals, WT Sparrow, Juncos, House Finches, my pretty Pine Warbler and a FOY Fox Sparrow seen in the first shot.

On the feeder are two female House finches and one pretty male House Finch.. The male Cardinal is eating off of the deck railing.

The red Cardinals really stand out in the white snow..I hope you enjoy my Cardinals...

An InLinkz Link-up

Thank you for linking up to the critter party. I appreciate the visits, comments and the support of my blogging friends..

To see more beautiful birds and cute critters

Also please visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni of I'd Rather-B-birdin. Also, sharing with Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting.

 Thanks for stopping by and  I wish everyone a happy weekend.

Sky over Middle Creek WMA

Linking up with Skywatch Friday 

Linking up with Skywatch Friday 

HAPPY SPRING!!!!

I have more photos from our visit to Middle Creek WMA.. We had a lovely day to be the sky was blue with the white puffy clouds. It was a little windy and cold but the nice thing was NO SNOW.

At times the skies were filled with Snow Geese and the Tundra Swans like the shot above.

On this shot, I like the tree, sky and seeing the Snow Geese on the lake.

This the view from the visitor center window..the Snow Geese are way off in the distance.

I love the clouds in this shot and the Swan silhouettes.

Here is another group of the Tundra Swans coming in for a landing.

I really enjoyed seeing the close to 5000 Tundra Swans.. This group was walking on the ice.

I hope you enjoyed seeing more from Middle Creek WMA , the Snow Geese and the Tundra Swans.


To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday

Thank you for visiting my post. Maybe you can stop back and join in with my Saturday's Critter party.

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

Pine Warbler

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes


For this week's Wild Bird I am sharing my pretty Pine Warbler..

 

The Pine Warblers have white bellies, white wing bars and long pointed bills. The adults males have olive upperparts and bright yellow throats and breasts.

 My first sign that the Pine Warbler was back in the yard was hearing his song..sometimes a rattle call but also sounding like the Chipping Sparrow. But his song tends to be slower and more musical..

 The male has been appearing in my yard for a few years now.. He enjoys some sunflower chips and the peanut suet..

I have to say the Pine Warbler is one of my favorite yard birds.. They are also a breeder in the woods next to my house.. So I will be enjoying these pretties all summer long. I hope you enjoy my Pine warbler.

Sitting at my computer, I can look out and see the Pine Warbler at the suet feeder. It did not seem to mind the snow coming down..Another 4 or more inches..on St. Patrick's Day.. I hope this is the end of the snow..

Thanks for stopping by my post and for all the 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 our host Michelle our host Stewart.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Middle Creek WMA

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 


Wishing everyone a Happy Saint Patrick's Day!..and here is an Irish blessing for you!

Middle Creak Wildlife Management Area includes a 400 acre impoundment. It is a prime destination for the wildlife and for people who enjoy seeing wildlife..Hubby and I were surprised at the number of cars on the wildlife tour. It seems everyone knew the Snow Geese arrived.. The self -guided driving tour is open from March 1 to September 15.

Middle Creek WMA is nestled in the middle of farmland on the border of Lancaster county and Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. It was created as a waterfowl refuge for the Canada Geese flyway. The big attraction is seeing the Snow Geese are making their way back to their breeding grounds to the tundra of Northern Canada and Alaska.

If they feel threatened at times the flock of Snow Geese will lift off and make lots of noise..

We also saw some pretty Killdeer along with a group of Ring-bill Gulls..

More Tundra Swans coming in for a landing..It was easy to tell  the Tundra Swans apart from the Snow Geese.  The Tundra Swans are all white underneath and the Snow Geese have some black on their wings.

It is like being in a snow storm when the Snow Geese come swirling down from the sky. From the 1970's up to the present the Snow Geese numbers increased over the years along with the numbers of Tundra Swans.  It was reported this week as many as 60,000 Snow Geese were seen and close to 5000 Tundra Swans.. Definitely a cool sight to see and hear.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the Snow Geese and Tundra Swans..if you are in the area it is a great place to stop and see. I am ending my post with another cute Irish blessing and wish for you.

Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too
And a host of friends that never ends
each day your whole life through!



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 ahead!