Happy New Year!!

Wishing everyone a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Our World, My World

 Hello and Happy Monday

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and or Hanukkah!  Hubby and I had our first Christmas vacation, Dec 19-28.  Our first time being away for Christmas. It was nice to spend the time not stressed over the holiday and just enjoying being outside with nature. The road trip trip started in Hilton Head South Carolina. We walked the beaches and various nature parks for 3 days.

  A local bird lover told about seeing lots of birds on Fish Haul Beach Park. We saw a large flock of Black Skimmers hanging out with various gulls and shorebirds.

In a marshy area, we found a Great Egret, a Snowy Egret and heard a loud Clapper Rail. 

Below a large flock of gulls, shorebirds including the Black Skimmers. 

 I was able to pick out an American Oystercatcher in the group photo below.  It is in the middle of the birds seen on the far right.

Just a pretty view of the beach at the Fish Haul Park. 

 On one beach, we found a couple live Sand Dollars. We put them safely back onto to the sand where we found them.  You are not suppose to keep live sand dollars or  shells that may have live creatures. 

The lighthouse was seen at the Harbour Town resort area of Hilton Head SC.  We enjoyed a seafood dinner here and watched the sunset. Watching the birds is a must for me, birds seen there were the Brown Pelicans, Cormorants, Terns and gulls at the resort's pier.

I am guessing the Terns below are the Royal Tern, if I am wrong let me know. Also seen below, the Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Ruddy Turnstone and Great Egrets in flight.

 Special thanks to our meme hosts, for all they did this past year. I thank my blog followers for all the comments and visits this past year. I am looking forward to seeing all your new posts in 2020.
I wish you and your family all the best in 2020, Happy New Year!Have a happy day and new week ahead!

 Please check out and visit the following memes and links. I hope to see you there. 


Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Thanks for visiting and commenting, have a happy day and a great new week!

Saturday's Critters #315

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!


If you love all God's creatures 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 wish everyone a very Happy New Years, all the best in 2020! I will visit your critters post ASAP.  Thank you for linking up, for the comments and visits in the past year.  

I am posting some of my favorite critters from various critter posts in 2019...

From January 2019, we visited the Green Cay Wetlands in Boynton Beach, Florida. The beautiful Painted Bunting.

From February 2019 a favorite, an Assateague pony born in the winter.

March 2019, some of my yard birds. Top row the White -breasted Nuthatch and a Red-breasted Nuthatch. Bottom row the Pine Warblers.

April 2019,   the Great-blue Heron return to their nest in our neighborhood. 

May 2019, I had a couple of male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks stop by my yard.

June 2019, the Little Blue Herons are seen in the Baltimore County park.

 

July 2019, the Black& White warbler and a female American Redstart seen on the trail in Shenandoah Nat'l Park.

August 2019, my Hummingbird feeders were busy. Two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

September, 2019 Some birds seen in Reykjavik Iceland.

October 2019, we watched our granddogs while my son and wife went on their honeymoon.

November 2019, a Black Bear seen on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

December 2019,  A pretty Blue Jay on my deck.

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !









Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the host Anni.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Comments are off!  Thanks for all the comments and visits this past year.  See you soon! 

Saturday's Critters #314

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!


If you love all God's creatures 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 posting some of my archived photos for the next few critter posts.  I will be late visiting and commenting, away from the computer.  As always I thank everyone for participating with my critter party, for visiting my blog and for all the nice comments. 

I wish everyone a very Happy Christmas!

 The Northern Cardinal seem to be a model for many Christmas cards, They are beautiful birds.

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !







Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the host Anni.

Saturday's Critters # 313

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!


If you love all God's creatures 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!

Not my usual kind of critter, but I looked out my kitchen door to see this stray cat sitting at the bottom of our deck steps.  He/she was intently watching the ground, once in awhile it looked ready to pounce on something in the ground, maybe a vole?

 At times, I can look out on my deck and see 6 or more squirrels eating the bird food I put out. The birds do not stand a chance, these piggies eat as much as they can as fast as they can.. 

You can't see me!  A White-throated Sparrow taking a break in our blueberry bush.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker will visit the suet feeder, when nothing else is available.

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !



 










Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the host Anni.

Happy Thankful Thursday!

 Happy Thankful Thursday!

May the Christmas season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter.  I really wish you joy, love and laughter all year round! Merry Christmas!  🎄☃️

A cute Carolina Wren on my deck railing.

 A Dark-eyed Junco, stopped long enough for a quick photo.

❄️ Dec 11th was had our first snow, that covered our deck.  The driveway and roads were ok.  I expected to see more birds on my feeders and deck this day, usually when it snows I see a lot of birds at my feeders.  Again my bird count was down.  ❄️

  
The full moon on the morning of Dec 12th, a close view!

 A closer view and zooming in.

 The closest view of  December's full moon. 

I am taking a break after this post and will only be posting my Saturday's Critter linky party from this Saturday till the first Saturday in January! 

Thank you for participating with my critter party!
I am thankful for all your visits and comments.  

Live simple and be happy!  😊




Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday




Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Saturday's Critters # 312

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!


If you love all God's creatures 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!


Happy Birthday Brian, today is my son's 27th birthday. Wow, 27 years have flown by. I wish him a happy life.


Below is a list of my yard birds and a few bird photos. I watched my yard birds for less than an hour on the afternoon of Nov 26th.  It was sunny and around 60°.  A warm day for the end of November.  

I have a Northern Cardinal couple visiting. They are here every day, all day long.  I think this guy should have a headache from banging on my windows off and on all day.

 The female Northern Cardinal is sitting in our Blueberry bush, this bush is protection for all the song birds.  I have a pond/bog nearby along and a wood/brush pile. There are plenty of trees/bushes and native berries in our yard. We are next to miles of forest and have the lake nearby.  The birds have plenty of protection in my yard and a nice habitat. We also have a little black tub pond, three bird baths, one bird bath is heated.

I have been seeing 4-5 Dark-eyed Juncos.  This is a male below, he is a dark slate color. The female looks a little brownish-gray to me. These birds are like the Mourning Doves eating seeds off the ground.  I do have a thistle feeder, 2 sunflower seed feeders and 2 suet feeders.

The House Sparrow is not a usual yard bird for me. I was surprised to see him at one of my bird houses.  The bird house was made by my son when he still lived at home, many years ago.  The bird house is four sided, like an apartment building. I have also recently seen the Chickadee and a Downy Woodpecker entering this bird house.  

Can you find the Carolina Wren? Did you know leaving a pile of leaves on the ground can help the critters? Caterpillars, moths and butterflies can be overwintering under the leaves. 

 The female Downy Woodpecker.  The female Downy  does not have the red spot on it's head.

I also see 4-5, maybe more of the Tufted Titmouse. 

 The Carolina Chickadee often just grabs a seed and leaves, it is hard trying to get a nice photo of the Chickadee. Below the Chickadee is at the feeder and the WB Nuthatch is waiting on the deck rail.

I usually see the White-throated Sparrow early in the morning or later in the afternoon.This sparrow is another bird that usually is seen eating the seed off the ground. 

Top row: White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal. Second row: Tufted Titmouse and the House Sparrow. Third row; Dark-eyed Junco and some what hidden Carolina Wren. Bottom row, half hidden Pileated Woodpecker and the Downy Woodpecker. 

Later in the day I was able to catch the Blue Jays on the deck railing, the Red-bellied Woodpecker at the suet feeder and a couple of male House Finches at the sunflower seed feeder. 

My list of bird sightings on the afternoon of Nov 26th.  Some are in photos above or the mosaic. I was not able to get photos of the Mourning Doves, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and the Northern Mockingbird.

1. Northern Cardinal couple
2. Blue Jay, a few
3. Carolina Wren
4. Carolina Chickadee
5. Tufted Titmouse, 4-5
6. Mourning Dove, 2-3
7. Red-bellied Woodpecker, a couple
8. Pileated Woodpecker
9. Downy Woodpecker couple
10. House Sparrow
11. White-breasted Nuthatch, a couple
12. Northern Mockingbird
13. Dark-eyed Junco
14. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
15. White-throated Sparrow
16. House Finch, a couple




I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !

I am cutting back on sending reply emails, unless someone has a specific question. I will reply under the comment. Thanks Always!





Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the host Anni.

Happy Thankful Thursday!

 Happy Thankful Thursday! 

A November sunset seen from my deck.  

Don't focus on things that steal your joy, count the many reasons you have to be happy!    😊

 After a rainy day, hubby and I  were off for a walk on the local fire road when we saw  the sun dog. The skywatch and contrail was seen from my yard and deck.

I love watching the Blue Jays in my yard, even though they are bullies toward the other birds. It is said even though the Blue Jays act like a bully, they are like an alarm announcing loudly that there is a predator nearby. The Blue Jays are naturally raucous birds, they are smart and learn quickly.

A sun dog are colorful patches appearing in a partly cloudy sky on each side of the sun.  Some times they are seen as a ring or halo around the sun.

"The key to being happy is knowing you have the power to choose what to accept and what to let go."  😊

I am thankful for the small things, like seeing a Blue Jay, a Sun Dog and pretty sunset. Live simple and be happy!  😊

I am thankful for all your visits and comments.  

I am cutting back on sending reply emails, unless someone has a specific question. Thanks Always!




Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday




Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!