Saturday, February 28, 2015

Saturday's Critters #63

Saturday's Critters #63

Happy weekend, everyone!  Can you believe it is the end of February already?  I think it is because I have been rushing winter along..I am ready for Spring..

It's Saturday and it's time to share your critters.. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who has linked up in the past and for those who are linking in on this week's critter party. And of course I always appreciate my blogging friends stopping by just for a visit.

I am sharing some of my yardbirds..the Pine Siskins. They are fun birds to watch at the feeders. They can be super bossy and very stingy.  Sometimes I will see them sharing the feeders..


I guess you have to be a birder in Maryland to appreciate that the Pine Siskin numbers were growing each day.. It could be years before I see them again.. On this feeder above there are above 10.


And at the same time I had about 7-8 Pine Siskins on some feeders near by..



My large feeding station during the snowstorms.. You can see the Pine Siskins on the top and on the ground under the table..This week I was seeing around 12 Pine Siskins maybe a little more at my feeders.


I had a new sighting out my treadmill window.. I was able to watch a bunny for awhile when I was "walking"..

I hope you enjoyed my birds, bunny and post..Again I thank you for linking up to the critter party. I also appreciate the visits, comments and the support of my blogging friends................... Have a happy weekend!




Thanks to Tex Theresa aka Tex, I was able to add this link up button and thanks to  Jennifer for creating my photo badge.



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

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-BirdinThanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Hurry Spring!

Linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences  

I just can not get over how fast time is flying, it is almost the end of February.. I am happy that Spring is almost here.. The Mid-Atlantic states have not been enjoying the early and warm weather that the west coast is having. I wish it was a warm winter here, it has been an awfully cold winter!  I am sharing more scenes from this past weekend and earlier in the week, I hope you enjoy!



A cute snow covered squirrel. And another can you find the Junco shot?  BTW, do you see the fence?


A multi fence shot, with my deck railing, chained link fence and a fence further off. Do you see my neighbor with his snow blower.. He was very nice and helped hubby clean the snow off our driveway..Can you see the snow blowing up and into the woods..


You know me by now, I just have to share some birds on my post, some more colorful Starlings..


My skywatch shot, some neat contrails and the sunset...At least I enjoy the pleasures of skywatching.


A pretty sky, the contrail and  sliver of moon on the far top left.. Do you see the moon?


My moon capture taken on Feb 22nd.. I hope you enjoyed my latest post.. Thanks for stopping by and for the nice comments..

To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and check for more fence shots at Tex's Good Fences

Thanks to Theresa @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences and thanks to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.    I wish everyone a happy day and weekend ahead..

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Eastern Towhee

Linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

For this week's Wild Bird I am featuring the Eastern Towhee.  I have been enjoying this pretty male right outside my window which in front of my treadmill. Some people watch TV walking while they are on the treadmill, I watch the birds outside my window..




The male Eastern Towhee is a handsome bird. They have a black head upper body and tail. Rufous sides and white underneath...


I think they are residents in Maryland.. I have seen them all over the state of Maryland and in Shenandoah Nat'l Park, Virginia..


This female Eastern Towhee has the rufous sides and is mostly a brownish color on the back and wings..


The view outside my window while I am walking on my treadmill.. The Eastern Towhee is sharing a meal with the White-throated Sparrows.


Another look outside my window at the Eastern Towhee!


I hope you enjoyed my wild bird post.. Till next week's wild bird post.. I wish you happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Join in and post your birdies and to see more beautiful and wonderful bird and nature photos please visit:

 Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Michelle's  Nature Notes

Thanks to all of our hosts... Michelle for Nature Notes and Stewart of Wild Bird Wednesday.


  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Let It Snow



I am linking up with   Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday   They are both fun memes to participate in...I hope you can join in with the fun or check out some of the post.

We had our first big snowfall yesterday. I think there is close to 10 inches or more out there.. During a snowstorm I love watching the birds, they seem to go into a feeding frenzy.. At one time I think I had to have a 100 birds on my deck..and the snow was coming down fast and furious..I just do not seem to do well taking snow photos, the birds look ok though. Now, that the birds have been fed, the snow can disappear.  Come on SPRING!  


The Cardinals are one of my favorite birds to watch, their red colors really pop in the snow..I made this mosaic with my lipstick wearing female..Isn't she pretty?


Another female Cardinal and a Pine Siskin.


We've had this table on our deck for years and hardly ever use it, we have other deck chairs we like.  So the table has become a bird feeder table.. I put seed under the table trying to keep the snow from covering up the bird seed right away. The birds seem to love it..lots of Juncos, Mourning Doves and Pine Siskins.


A view of our deck from my dining room window..


My most popular feeder, Mr Squirrel likes it, female Cardinal with the Chickadees and a Pine Siskin..

I think Mr Squirrel looks cute..


By the afternoon I shoveled the deck 3 times and the snow was still coming down..As you can see above the birds were all over the deck and feeders. I am hoping this is the last big snowstorm and spring is on the way, please.. I hope you enjoyed the photos and mosaics..I thank you for visiting and all the wonderful comments..


Just a tease...remembering warmer days from our trip to Key West , Florida..

I use Pic Monkey to create my mosaics, you can use Pic Monkey free or pay for an upgraded version.
I hope you can join in on our fun at  Mosaic Monday and   Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to Judith 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!

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Saturday's Critters #62

Saturday's Critters #61

Happy weekend, everyone!  I am looking forward to Spring, I wish it would come soon...Ok, it's Saturday and it's time to share your critters.. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who has linked up in the past and for those who are linking in on this week's critter party. And of course I always appreciate my blogging friends just stopping by for a visit.


On the way home from Blackwater NWR we made a quick stop in Cambridge, Maryland  to see the ducks..I shared some of these ducks in an earlier Wild Bird Wednesday post but I wanted to share just how many ducks were in this one spot.. In the winter this is a great place to see all kinds of ducks..  above are the Lesser Scaup..different than the Greater Scaup because they have "bumps" on their heads..


A variety of ducks can be seen..like the Canvasbacks, Scaup and American Wigeons..


I think I see some female mallards too.


Beyond the pier I see some Ruddy Ducks. They are recognizable by their upturned tails..


Above is a pretty American Wigeon.


Either direction you looked you see more ducks.. This is the view toward Rt 50 bridge and the Bill Burton fishing pier..




My youtube video of the Cambridge Ducks..sorry it was windy on this day..but the sound of the wigeon is cute..I hope you enjoyed my ducks and post..Again I thank you for linking up to the critter party. I also appreciate the visits, comments and the support of my blogging friends................... Have a happy weekend!





Thanks to Tex Theresa aka Tex, I was able to add this link up button and thanks to  Jennifer for creating my photo badge.



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

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-BirdinThanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Around the Yard_Feb 18

Linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences  

During these cold winter days I am like a bear and just hibernate. I have not been out of the house, except to go on the deck to fill up the bird feeders and birdbath..So I am sharing some archive fence shots or some sky shots taken from my deck and yard and some from the neighborhood.

I have been having problems with my reading list on blogger.  Some post do not update and then I seem to have had one called Ihsan NR @ Bathroom Design Interior. I do not remember following this blog..and I had the hardest time trying to find a way to unfollow this blog, it was so ANNOYING. This blog had posts  updating every couple of seconds on my reading list.. I finally found a way to unfollow this advertisement blog..If I have unfollowed you, it was by mistake. I was unfollowing any blog I did not recognize which may have been a mistake..


A cold but pretty sky..our temps have been in the single digits and low teens..with the wind chill even below zero..Come on Spring, hurry up and get here..

Above is my view while walking on the treadmill..the blue jays always scare away the small birds.


On days when we head over to the local town, we drive by this farm..They have goats, a donkey and lots of hogs..


I have shown this fence before, they have birdhouses on each post..We pass this fence on the way to the local town also..Some times they replace the old houses with new fresh new bird houses..



One day my yard and feeders were taken over by a large flock of blackbirds, the flock included this Common Grackle. Not sure if my deck railing counts as a fence shot..I am stretching it some..



A sunrise with some pretty pink clouds beyond our trees..


This moon shot was taken on Feb 12..


More of the blackbirds..Starlings blending in with one of our pine trees in the back yard..How many starlings do you see? I hope you enjoyed my photos and post. I hope everyone stays warm and safe on these brutal cold days..

Thanks for stopping by and for the nice comments..

To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and check for more fence shots at Tex's Good Fences

Thanks to Theresa @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences and thanks to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.    I wish everyone a happy day and weekend ahead..

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Redheads

Linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

For this weeks wild bird I am sharing two ducks, both with redheads. ..The Redhead duck actually named Redhead and the Canvasback duck.


My mosaic above shows the Redhead duck on the left (far left) and the Canvasback duck on the right..


The Redhead ducks above are a diving duck, they have the red head, black breast, grayish sides, a bluish bill with a black tip and has yellow eyes..The Redhead photo above was taken at Loch Raven Resevoir in Baltimore County, Maryland.


A closer look at the Canvasback with their redheads, red eyes, bright white sides and a black breast. The Canvasback ducks photos were taken a few weeks ago at Cambridge Maryland..


A variety of ducks includes the Canvasback, American Wigeon and Scaup.

I hope you enjoyed my wild bird post.. Till next week's wild bird post.. I wish you happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Join in and post your birdies and to see more beautiful and wonderful bird and nature photos please visit:

 Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Michelle's  Nature Notes

Thanks to all of our hosts... Michelle for Nature Notes and Stewart of Wild Bird Wednesday.


  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Blackwater Wildlife Refuge

I am linking up with   Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday   They are both fun memes to participate in...I hope you can join in with the fun or check out some of the post.

These are some photos from our recent daytrip to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge Maryland.. Hubby and I had a fun time watching the Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers, hundreds of Canada Geese and just seeing the scenery of Maryland's Eastern shore..


A Bald Eagle on an Osprey nest..there is a web cam attached to this nest.


We saw hundreds of Canada Geese, possibly a Red Shouldered Hawk and more Eagles.


A scenic view of the Blackwater NWR from the wildlife drive..


Above is a standoff with a Bald Eagle standing over a dead goose, a Great Blue Heron watching the show and a juvenile Bald Eagle far left and the flock of Canada Geese are the audience.



A few birds in flight...top right is a juvenile Bald Eagle, a Northern Harrier, a Great Blue Heron and bottom left is an adult Bald Eagle..


The Bald Eagles are plentiful at Blackwater NWR, we saw them all along the wildlife drive..


I enjoyed stopping to watch the Northern Harrier working the marsh land.  


Walk this way....pretty hard to do on ice..hard to do for this juvenile Bald Eagle.


The adult eagle to junior...Do as I do.


Eagles in a row.. The far left eagle to the others...what are you doing back there?


Above some Canada Geese, Gulls and Tundra Swans...


Something spooked the Canada Geese and they all took off.. I hope you do not mind all these photos. I think I added a few more than usual.  

I hope you enjoyed the photos and mosaics..I thank your for visiting and all the wonderful comments..

I use Pic Monkey to create my mosaics, you can use Pic Monkey free or pay for an upgraded version.
I hope you can join in on our fun at  Mosaic Monday and   Our World Tuesday



 Thanks to Judith 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!

Happy Monday!

  Wishing everyone a great day and a ha ppy new week! "Calm is a super power. Don't let stress kill your happiness." "Jud...