Wood Thrush

Hello and Happy Monday.


I am sharing the Wood Thrush, it has a beautiful song. I always enjoy hearing them sing. Sometimes I hear them singing from my deck, they breed in the forest next to our house. I often hear them during my walks on our local fire roads. These are some recent photos from our walks.  The best photos I have  of the Wood Thrush, so far.

The Wood Thrush is a medium sized Thrush with upper brown parts and white underparts.

Their breast and belly have dark brown spots, they have a white eye ring and pink legs.

I hope you enjoyed my photos and post.
As always I 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 # 189

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

If you love critters like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!


These are some images of the Yellow-crowned Night Heron rookery In Baltimore. After our zoo visit we stopped by for a quick visit to see the herons and nest. We could see three heron's nest just from one spot from the bridge above.

The chicks are what I call an ugly cute. Fuzzy looking feathers and big beaks.

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments! I hope you enjoy my post and photos too!





Here is a list of my linky parties;
Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.

Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

Coupeville Washington

Hello, happy Thursday everyone!


I am sharing some more of my Washington State photos. On this day we stopped at the Fort Casey State Park to see the Admiralty Lighthouse. The lighthouse was cute, it seemed almost like a miniature home to me. It is also where I saw my lifer the California Quail. We also saw a few Golden-crowned Sparrows and a Spotted Towhee, lots of bunnies and a few deer.

The California Quail were camera shy so I had to stay a good distance so I would not spook them. Sorry for the photo quality.

You can just make out the Golden Crown on this Sparrows head.

The Spotted Towhee  looks like a colorful bird.

A pair of Golden-crowned Sparrows.

Some deer were walking around the park.

The bunnies were everywhere we walked in the park.

A view of the coastline from the top of the cliff.

After this park visit we headed to the Coupeville-Port Angeles ferry. I will post more on that part of the trip another time. The weather was not the greatest for our ferry ride on this day but the rain held off.

My thankful list for today:
I am thankful for the rain it is necessary, but I am also thankful for clear sunny days.
I am thankful for all the beautiful places to visit in the great USA.
I thank you for visiting and your comments.


I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.  Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments. Have a happy day!

Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday

Veery

Hello and happy Monday,

I am sharing the Veery, it is a breeder in the woods near our home in Maryland. They have a weird sound and call, I usually hear them more then see them. But on this day hubby and I were walking on the fire road and there were two calling and we had some great views.

The Veery is a small Thrush species. The adults have a light brown upperpart, underparts are white and the breast has faint brown spots.

It is one of my favorite local breeding birds and is always a treat to see.




My Youtube video




I hope you enjoyed my photos and post.
As always I 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 #188

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

If you love critters like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!


For this week's post I am sharing some birds we saw while visiting Sequim and Port Angeles Washington. This was our second trip to this area of Washington state, the last trip was back in 2015. During our visit we went to a few birding spots like the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and the Dungeness Spit, Helen Pond at Three Crabs Road and the Ediz Hook in Port Angeles.

The Dungeness Spit located in Sequim at the Dungeness National Wildlife refuge.

At the Dungeness Nat'l Wildlife Refuge we had to wait out a little rain before we hiked the trail down to the Dungeness Spit. Below are photos of the trail thru the woods, a Rough Skinned Newt, a view of the Dungeness Spit on a cloudy day, driftwood, two Black Oystercatchers, a large group of Cormorants and maybe with a few Mergansers. We found another Rough-skinned Newt on the way back up the trail.

There were signs warning hikers about these Rough-skinned Newts that produce a toxin from their skin. The toxin could irritate your eyes or skin if you should happen to pick up or touch one of these Rough-skinned Newts. They could be seen on the trail or crossing the trail as we walked.

I have a lifer from my 2017 Washington trip it is the Western Sandpiper seen below with the Semipalmated Plover.

Semipalmated Plovers and some Western Sandpipers were seen along Three Crabs Road in Sequim.

We spent the night in Port Angeles Washington and we visited the Ediz Hook, another spit of land. Here we saw a big flock of Brant Geese and lots of Rhinoceros Auklets.

Lots of Brant Geese at the Ediz Hook spit in Port Angeles Washington.

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments! I hope you enjoy my post and photos too!



Here is a list of my linky parties;
Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.

Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

Silver Springs State Park, Ocala Florida

Hello and happy Thursday!


Back in March, hubby and I visited the Silver Springs State Park near Ocala Florida. It was a beautiful day for a visit to the park and for a hike on the trails. The main entrance is where you can find the glass bottom boat ride, some trails and a boardwalk with Macaques monkeys running wild. We were surprised to see monkeys wild in Florida, we have seen them in Costa Rica and Panama.

A pretty sky and reflection, the clear waters at the Silver Springs State Park is very clear and colorful.

The birds seen at Silver Springs State Park, Little Blue Heron, Anhinga, Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck, Red-shouldered Hawk.

The Macaques monkeys seen on the boardwalk. I took a few photos of them but when they started moving towards hubby and I,  we decided it was best to leave. These monkeys have been in this park since the 1930's. Tour boat operator Captain Tooey released some monkeys on an island in the park  around the time of the filming of  a Tarzan movie film nearby.  The monkeys escaped the island and started breeding. It is said there are close to 200 monkeys in the park now.

The monkeys were running wild on the boardwalk, on the railing and they were in the trees above us.
There are warnings to stay a good distance from the monkey, they can bite.

There are different sections and entrances to this park on the same day we hiked on a trail that has views of the river. Some wildlflowers, egret, thrush, turtles lizards and the boardwalk.

Another look at the pretty sky.

"Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty."  John Ruskin



My list of thankful things:
I am thankful for good health.
I am thankful for pretty days and nice weather for our walks.
I am always thankful for nature I see.


I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.  Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments.
Have a happy day!

Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday

Pileated Woodpecker

Hello and happy Monday,

I am sharing the Pileated Woodpecker for my wild bird and nature post this week. The Pileated Woodpecker is one of the largest woodpeckers I see in the USA. It is said  they are crow-sized and their habitat is deciduous forest. They are common birds seen and heard in the woods next to my house and these photos were taken mostly in Florida.

They ae mostly black with a red crest, the male has a red line from the bill to the throat. They eat carpenter ants and mostly dine on insects.

A Pileated Woodpecker couple will stay together year round in their territory.

They make large holes in dead trees and raise their young in a nesting hole. After the young lest the nest they will not use the same nesting hole. Other birds will take over the holes left behind.

My YouTube video




I am not sure how many bloggers are having problems with anonymous comments, what do you keep your comment setting on blogger? I am thinking about not allowing anonymous comments. I only get 1-2 anonymous comments that are legit. How do you handle these comments, thanks for any help.



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 # 187

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

If you love critters like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!


I am sharing some birds and wildlife seen on one of our bike trail walks. Below is the Eastern Towhee. This Towhee is seen and heard often in the summer months in my area. I have photos of the front and back of our male Eastern Towhee.

A Mourning Dove is peeking at me, there was a nest nearby maybe hers.

A Worm-eating Warbler was seen and heard often along this trail. They must be nesting  nearby.

I think this is a black snake crossed the trail in front of us.

Lately we have been seeing the White-tailed Deer along the bike trail.

This deer hiding in the grass was to busy eating to notice us walking by.

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments! I hope you enjoy my post and photos too!



Here is a list of my linky parties;
Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.

Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

8th Blog Anniversary

Hello everyone,

This is my 8th Blog Anniversary. Those years just seem to have flown by. I have "met" so many wonderful people and traveled the world thru their blogs.   I appreciate and thank everyone who has visited and commented on my blog.

For my anniversary post, I am sharing some of my favorite blogs and blog parties. Some of these blogs I have been following since I started blogging. Blog parties like Skywatch Friday, I have always enjoyed I love skywatching, moon watching, sunrises and sunsets. This blog party has followers from around the world, I think it is awesome to see beautiful skies from all around the world. I have done 296 Skywatch posts since I started blogging.

I love to travel and have included many of our trips on my posts with nature scenes, wildlife, sunrises and sunsets have been shared. I hope you have enjoyed my photos.

A favorite sunrise photo from Florida

 If you click on the Skywatch Friday link above you will see so many more wonderful blogs and fantastic photos. I thank them for sharing their wonderful skies and images. Thanks also to the hosts of Skywatch    Lady Fi and Alan @ Yogi's Den,  



I am providing links to some of my favorite fellow skywatchers who share  amazing sky photos, I hope you can take some time to visit these blogs to see their awesome photography.

  Lady Fi    

Spare Parts and Pics

Carol @ Cape Ann

Cloudia

Irene

Here are  more of my favorite blog parties. Over the years I have done 281 Nature Notes posts .  Michelle is the host of Nature Notes  . Also another favorite linky party is Stewart's  Wild Bird Wednesday  .  I have done 224 Wild Bird Wednesday posts. 

and then there is Anni's party. She is the host of  I'd Rather be Birding. I have done 227 I'd Rather be Birding posts..

The past 8 years blogging I have shared images from around my yard, flowers, plants, birds and the butterflies.

Fritillary butterflies on our Bee Balm plant

These are a few of my favorite nature bloggers, photographers and a few birdwatchers and their blogs. It is cool to see birds from around the world right from my computer.

Jo from South Africa

Nora

Phil in the UK

Monica

Bob in the UK


I love seeing wild birds and most of my post over the years have been about the birds.

Sandwich Tern, Florida

I also wanted to share some other blogs I love to read and follow, they share their pets, gardens, hobbies and their fabulous photography. I have way too many favorites, I hope I do not slight anyone by not including them on my list. I could go on and on with my favorite blogs. You can find more links to my favorite bloggers on my sidebar list.

Mary shares her travels in their RV

Marit, a gardener and photographer

Karen, shares daily life, family quotes and photos

Tom, host of the Barn Collective, wonderful photographer

Sandra, shares her photography and is awesome with editing photos

Kim, rescues Golden Retrievers

Linda, a hiker and a fantastic photographer

Michelle host of Thankful Thursday

"We do not need more to be thankful for,  we just need to be more thankful."


My list of thankful things for this week

I am thankful for all the blogging friends I have "met" over the last 8 years of blogging.
I am thankful for all the visitors and comments on my blog.


Thanks so much for your visits and comments. I wish everyone a great day and weekend ahead.

Various Swallows

Hello,


I am sharing various swallows we saw while visiting Washington State and some other Swallows seen while on other trips. I have a mix of Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, Northern Rough-winged Swallows, an awful photo of the Violet-green Swallow, a distant look at Cave Swallows.  I am always working on getting what I think is a great shot of any bird I see. When it comes to a new bird, I will keep what I think is an awful photo just to record the time I actually saw my life bird.


Barn Swallows on their nest under the pier. The Barn Swallows have a steel blue upperpart and a rufous forehead, chin and throat.

Barn Swallow collecting mud for their nest. The building a cup nest from mud pellets.

Two Northern Rough-winged Swallows. These swallows are brown above and white underparts. Their throat is white with a brownish gray wash.

They usually nest near streams, we saw these birds next to the Hoh River in the Olympic National Park.

This swallow photo below  is not my best, I will still have to work on getting a better shot of the Violet-green Swallow. I was able to get an id confirmation with this photo and that is why I am keeping it for now.  This swallow has long pointed wings, has a glossy green color on top of it's head and white cheeks.

Below, a Tree Swallow sky. Swallows are fast flyers and it is very hard for me to get a clear shot and closeup of a moving swallow.

Tree swallow talk. These swallows have a iridescent blueish-green upper part and white underparts.

Below are the Cave Swallows seen as they excited the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. They nest in natural caves. They have grey-blue upperparts and brown-tangerine forefront. It is hard to see their colors in my photo.

Other swallows seen in my area are the Bank Swallow and the Cliff Swallows.

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