Saturday's Critters #176

Saturday's Critters #176

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

I will be away from my computer and internet for a bit. I will be visit your blogs and comment as soon as possible.  

I was asked to share a post on the 34th World Series of Birding happening in Cape May New Jersey on May 6th. This post is on a young birder named Etan. He is  competing in the youngest category of birders age group 6-18. The youth challenge team members must be in grades 1-12. The World Series of Birding is a fun competition and way to raise money for critically needed conservation priorities. 

The youth groups will be in teams, and each team has a mentor. The teams will have the time period 5am  to 8pm to identify either by sight and or sound as many species as possible.

Etan is also taking on the challenge in the 6-18 age youth group.

The youth team can find approx 150-200 species in the time period.  The top overall total wins. The Cape May Point State Park is the finish line. A team and not the individual kids will be labeled as the winner in each division.



Donation page is here for the teams  World Series of birding All teams

Above are some of my Cape May birds seen during a previous visit. Good luck to Etan all the team members.

As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

Flagler Beach, Florida

Hello,

During one of our overnight trips we were close to Flagler Beach for a sunrise and a nice walk. This beach is on Florida's east coast, 20 miles north of Daytona Beach. I captured a beautiful sunrise and I included some birds seen nearby.

I am guessing that these are the Royal Tern below. It has the shaggy short crest.

Another guess, the Herring Gull, they have pink legs and feet.

A view of the beach, gulls and ocean.

Brown Pelicans floating with a fishing boat in the distance.

I may do another post with photos from this day, we went to Daytona Beach and the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse just down the road.

My thankful list:
I am thankful to see a beautiful sunrise.
I am thankful I am able to travel some during my retirement years.
I am thankful for all the wonderful comments on my blog post.

Thank you for your visit and comments on my post. Enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

Thanks to Michelle for the meme Thankful Thursday

I am also linking up to Skywatch Friday, I hope to see you there.

Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.

Nanday Parakeet

Hello,

I have a few more lifers and Florida birds I would like to share. I was able to see the Nanday Parakeet also known as the Black-hooded Parakeet near the Crescent beach area on Florida east coast.

The Nanday Parakeet  is a non-native settler.  They were brought to the US as a pet and started as an escapee. By the 1990's these parakeets have colonies in as many as 19 Florida counties. They can live as long as 25 years.

The Nanday Parakeet is mostly green with the black face mask. They feed on seeds, fruit and berries. The nest in trees with holes.

It is always exciting to see a new bird and lifer. The parakeets are special birds to me even though they are non-native. I hope your enjoy my wild bird sighting. I wish the photos could be better, I took these shots from a parking and the birds on across the street high on the wire.

Thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

My list of memes for today, I hope to see you there. Thanks to both of the host below.

Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Saturday's Critters #175

Saturday's Critters #175

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

Finally, we had some nice sunny weather. I have some birds and critters to share from home in Maryland. A few backyard birds in a mosaic and some scenes and critters from a walk at the local Hashawha Nature Center Park. 

Below are my yard birds: Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Cardinals, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Great Blue Heron near nest, Junco, White-throated Sparrow and a Tufted Titmouse. I included a pretty blue sky, some berries and my daffies.

The female Red-bellied Woodpeckers comes for a visit or a peanut.

I have seen as many as 6-8 Great Blue Herons flying around our neighborhood landing in the trees and their nest.

 The mosaic below is from our walk at the Hashawha Nature Center. They have a raptor center with rescued birds like the Barred Owl, Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawks and a Bald Eagle.  Near the lake we saw the Canada Goose, Cardinal, turtles, Tree Swallow, Song Sparrows and a Chipping Sparrow.

On the Nature Center property is the barn and silo. I thought it would be a good shot for Tom's Barn Collective.

A cute Slider turtle.

As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

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

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

Flagler Beach and Matanzas Inlet

Hello,

We managed a couple over overnight trips while in Florida, on this trip we were near St. Augustine, Crescent Beach and Flagler beaches all on Florida's East coast. I captured some sunrises, lots of shorebirds and beach scenes during our visit.

Happy Earth Day! 

Brown Pelican flying low over the ocean.

A pretty Collie dog seen on the beach.

Coquina rock formations.

Lots of Black Skimmers.

 A huge flock of gulls and black skimmers on the beach at Matanzas Inlet.

Video of shorebirds at Matanzas Inlet, Florida. 




" Wake up each day and be thankful for life."


My list of thankful things:
I am thankful for each sunrise and for each and every day.
I am thankful for friendly dogs.
I am thankful for a long walk on a beach.


Thank you for your visit and comments on my post. Enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

Thanks to Michelle for the meme Thankful Thursday

Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.
I am also linking up to Skywatch Friday, I hope to see you there.

Great Horned Owl

Hello,

During our time in Florida, we often visited the nearby Lake Parker Park in Lakeland.
We would check out the Great Horned Owl and it's baby owls at least once a week. It was fun watching them grow.  These images are taken from a distance and the owl's nest was on top of a light pole that was on the soccer field.

I am sharing a few facts about these owls. The outer ears are concealed by feathers on the side of the head.

Their iris is yellow and their eyes are ranked are among the largest in the animal kingdom.

Their bill is hard and inflexible.

It was awesome seeing the owlets. One on each side of the adult. I assume this is the adult female, we never saw the two parents together.

Thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

My list of memes for today, I hope to see you there. Thanks to both of the host below.

Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Saturday's Critters #174

Saturday's Critters #174

Wishing all a Happy Easter and weekend!

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

More from the Circle B Reserve.  The Barred Owls were seen during most visits, right near the parking lot. Some visits we saw one owl, maybe two Barred Owls together and even three owls seen close together on one day. Can you find both Barred Owls in the photo below?

The Black-bellied Whistling Ducks always a favorite sighting.

A Snail Kite

The American Bittern was usually easy to find.

The turtles come out in the sunshine.

Green Heron

The Black Crowned Night Heron.

I always enjoy seeing the Cattle Egrets.

A pretty Great Blue heron pose.

As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

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

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

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

Hello,

Happy Easter everyone!

I am sharing another great Florida park called Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. This park consist of 54,000 acres or dry prairie. It is home to many endangered plants and animals. Two of my favorite sightings were of the Loggerhead Shrike and the Crested Caracara. Both of these birds were seen on the long 5 mile entrance road into the park. This is supposed to be a great park for viewing the night sky, we were only there for the day.


A Loggerhead Shrike, a songbird with raptor habits. It's nickname is the Butcherbird and is related to the Northern Shrike.

The Crested Caracara, one of my favorites.

Great Egrets have a party and invited the  Crested Carcara.

Egrets and herons and warnings of alligators.

One of the views of the trail, a pretty clear blue sky and some palm trees.

Near the visitor center, there was a sculpture of the Carolina Parakeet. This parakeet is now extinct and was the only parrot species native to the United States. The last known wild Carolina Parrot nesting location was in this park. Also in the collage is a  Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly.

A Wood Stork sky.

Eastern Meadowlark

American Kestrel

Most of our walk on the trail was out in the open, no shade to be found. I would suggest going to this park on a cool day.

On the trail at Kissimmee Prairie



"There is no happier person than a truly thankful, content person."


My thankful list for today:
I am thankful to find birds that are on my want to see list. :)
I am thankful for pretty days to take our walks.


Thank you for your visit and comments on my post. Enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

Thanks to Michelle for the meme Thankful Thursday

I am also linking up to Skywatch Friday, I hope to see you there.

Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.