Saturday, July 31, 2021

Saturday's Critters # 398

 Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

Hello and happy Saturday!

 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!

Hubby and I have recently visited the Great Falls National Park near Potomac Md. We make it a day trip, stopping at a local French bakery for a sandwich for our little picnic. We also stop at Riley's Lock and walk along the C&O Canal trail.  

1. Below are photos of the Potomac River @ Great Falls NP, the C&O Canal trail @ Great Falls, Great Blue Heron, Canal Lock, Canal, Mallard, Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures. 




2. A view of the C&O Canal and the trail.  




3. There is a Great Blue Heron rookery or is it called a heronry, so there are plenty of Herons to see at the Great Falls @ Potomac River. 




4. A mix of Black Vulture are seen with their Black Head and the Turkeys Vultures have the red heads. 




5. I always enjoy seeing the Great Blue Herons, they pose so nicely for me and my camera.  




6. Below are some of the scenes and wildlife we saw along the C&O Canal trail at Riley's Lock.  A group of Wood Ducks, a Common Whitetail Skimmer, more Wood Ducks, Great Blue Heron, Zebra Swallowtail butterfly, Prothonotary Warbler, Black-crowned Night Heron, Slider Turtles, Black-crowned Night Heron. 





7.  A few Slider Turtles hanging out with the Wood Ducks. 





8.  The Red-eared Slider Turtles are non-native but the Eastern Painted Turtle is a native turtle seen in Maryland.  Below the photo could be a mix of both of the native and non-native turtles. 




9. I usually see a Green Heron in this area, but on this day I saw the Black-crowned Night Herons. 




10. A Common Whitetail Skimmer above the pond and duck weed.



11. A closer look at the Wood Ducks. 




12. A Great Blue Heron was seen on the canal side hunting for food.



I hope you enjoyed our walk at the park and on the canal trail, the birds and wildlife are always great to see.  

I want to share my cute grandson, he is growing quickly almost 6months old. He has two bottom teeth now. I think this is the first time he tried a teething biscuit. 




I am also linking up to Anni's blog party found here I'd Rather B Birding   Anni always has some beautiful birds to be seen on her blog, check it out!




Here is my linky:

YOU are all # 1.



Thanks to all my visitors and for your comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves critters and has linked up their critter post. 


Monday, July 26, 2021

Happy Monday!

 Happy Monday everyone!


I wish everyone a happy day and a great new week!



The Pileated Woodpecker, one of my many favorite birds, photo taken during one of our visits to Florida.



Comments off! Enjoy your day!

Saturday, July 24, 2021

Saturday's Critters # 397

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

Hello and happy Saturday!

 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 sharing some yard birds and birds seen from our local walk at the Hemlock Gorge part of the Gunpowder Falls State Park and our Prettyboy Reservoir watershed. 


1. Eastern Bluebirds in our yard, they are back to using one of my birdhouses.  The male Bluebird is often perched in a tree in the side of our yard which overlooks the birdhouse. A young bluebird has been sitting in the back part of the yard, easily id by the speckled chest. 




2. I am pretty sure the Bluebird below was born this year. The bluebirds can have 2-3 broods each year.  The young Bluebirds are speckled with touches of blue on their wings. 




3. The male Eastern Bluebird is beautiful, a lovely color blue, rufous underparts and a white belly.




4.  The only feeders I left up it the Hummingbird feeder, I can change out the sugar water and clean the feeders often.




5. The deer has been a regular visitor in our yard and on the neighbors driveway.  I can watch the deer from my kitchen windows.  



6.  An area of the Gunpowder State Park is always a good spot to see the Louisiana Waterthrush in the summer months.  These are some photos from one our our recent walks to Hemlock Gorge. 



7. The Louisiana Waterthrush breeds near a fast moving stream. They nest in thickets on the ground, they can be found walking along the shoreline in search of insects.  



8. A young Lousiana Waterthush below has found a tasty grub or worm to eat. We watched at least 3 Waterthrush foraging along the river on this day. 




9.  Another guess below is an Eastern Wood-Pewee. they have olive gray with dark wings and thin white wing bars. I usually can hear these birds before I can see them. They like to perch in trees with good view points. 




10. I believe below is an Eastern Phoebe, they have a dark head with a gray back and they lack an eye ring. 



I am happy to find the birds on our walks, there are times I have some great bird sightings.  Happy Birding!  


I am also linking up to Anni's blog party found here I'd Rather B Birding   Anni always has some beautiful birds to be seen on her blog, check it out!




Here is my linky:

YOU are all # 1.




Thanks to all my visitors and for your comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves critters and has linked up their critter post. 


Monday, July 19, 2021

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday!


I wish everyone a great day and a happy new week!



Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado


Comments off!  Enjoy your day!!

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Saturday's Critters #396

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

Hello and happy Saturday!

 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!

These are some photos from our visit to Bombay Hook NWR, we were able to visit early in the morning since we had spent one night at the Dover Delaware hotel.  It is one of my favorite places, to bird from our car. The bugs can be horrible in the summer, I was happy to take my photos from the car window. 


1.  Top row are the Snowy Egrets and American Avocet, Black-necked Stilts, Great Blue Heron and a Great Horned Owl. Middle row are the Black Skimmers, Willet, Ospreys and Mallard. Bottom row are a rabbit, possible Mud Turtle, Bald Eagle and a Mute Swan.



2.  We saw a few Blue Grosbeaks, easy to id with their rusty colored wing bar. 




3. The Black Skimmers seen doing their thing skimming over the pond. 




4. The American Avocets are so pretty, one of my favorite shorebirds. 




5. A few Snowy Egrets with an American Avocet. 




6.  The non-native Mute Swan are a common sighting at Bombay Hook NWR. 



7. Apparently the Black-necked Stilts do not approve of the Mute Swans being in their habitat.  The Black-necked Stilts had a nest nearby they were being very protective. 




8. Hubby and I enjoyed watching this Great Horned Owl from our car, we making are way along the wildlife drive when I spotted this owl out on a branch in the open. 




9. I was happy to see this Great Horned Owl out on an open branch. 



10. Ospreys were on the same trees as the day before, a small bird is chasing one of the Ospreys. 



11.  A Great Blue Heron shows off his wing span and is happy to be social distancing. 


I hope you enjoyed the birds from Bombay Hook NWR, it is a great place for birding from the comfort of your car.  


I am also linking up to Anni's blog party found here I'd Rather B Birding   Anni always has some beautiful birds to be seen on her blog, check it out!




Here is my linky:

YOU are all # 1.



Thanks to all my visitors and for your comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves critters and has linked up their critter post. 


Monday, July 12, 2021

Happy Monday!

 Happy Monday!


I wish everyone a great day and a happy new week!


Hopkins, Belize





Comments off!  Enjoy your day!!

Saturday, July 10, 2021

Saturday's Critters # 395 & 12th Blog Anniversary

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

Hello and happy Saturday!

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 ! 


July 13th is officially my 12th blog anniversary, I am a little early. I am sharing some of my favorites birds seen over the last 12 years. Some were seen in my back yard and others were seen during our travels to various places.  I hope you enjoy.  Thank you for being a blog follower and for all your past visits and comments over the years.  

Click on images for larger detailed views of the mosaics!!

1.   2009..I am sharing my Spark Bird, the Eastern Bluebird.  I was lucky to see the Bluebirds nesting in one of my birdhouses. The juveniles would visit the feeders for some meal worms. 




2.   2010.. Bombay Hook NWR has always been my favorite wildlife refuge to visit. It is a great place to see the birds, below we saw lots of Egrets.  




3.   2011.. I am sharing various birds with a yellow theme. Top left is the Prothonotary Warbler, top right is the Hooded Warbler.

Bottom left is the eastern Meadowlark and bottom right is a White-eyed Vireo.




4.   2012...Hubby and I visited Curacao for our anniversary. It was fun traveling around the island looking for birds, enjoying the beaches and scenery. Below are the Black-faced Grassquit, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Yellow Warbler, Magnificent Frigatebird.

Middle row are the Ground Dove, Troupial Oriole, Bananaquit, Saffron Finch. 

Bottom Row are the Crested Caracara, Brown Pelican, Rufous-collared Sparrow and another Oriole and the Caribbean Flamingo. 




5.   2013..September I saw a beautiful variety of Warblers in my yard. The birds loved the Pokeberries and the Devil's Walking Stick berries.. 

Top row are images of the Cape May Warbler

Second row: Black-throated Green Warbler

Third row: Chestnut-sided Warbler three different photos  and the last one in the row is a Nashville Warbler

Bottom row: Black-throated Blue Warbler and  Northern Parula




6.   2014..included various trips where I saw the American Bittern in Chincoteague Island Virginia, Susquehanna River to see the Eagles, a Sora at the Viera Wetland in Florida, Black Skimmers in Ocean City Md, 

A cool sighting of Dusky Grouse in the Rocky MTN NP in Colorado, A cute House Finch dad with young in my yard, A Little Blue Heron in North Point State Park Maryland, Yellow-crowned Night Heron on nest at Jones Falls Baltimore.

Scarlet Tanager at Prettyboy Reservoir, Virginia Rail at Aberdeen Md, a Violet Sabrewing in Belize and last but not least a Snowy Owl at Edwin Forsythe NWR New Jersey. 




7.   2015.. Black Bellied Whistling Duck seen in Florida, the Prothonotary Warbler seen at Susquehanna River SP in Maryland, Sooty Grouse on the road to Hurricane Ridge Washington State, Varied Thrush seen near Mount Rainier NP Washington State.

Looking in my window a Screech Owl, a Summer Tanager in the back yard, Cape May Warblers in the back yard, a Belted Kingfisher seen at Bombay Hook NWR in Delaware.

American Oystercatcher seen at Chincoteague Island, Great Egret on nest at York Pa, a Tricolored Heron seen at North Point SP in Maryland, a Mottled Little Blue Heron seen at North Point SP in Maryland.  




8.   2016 was a fun year. I have lots of my favorite birds to share a different bird for each month of the year. We moved for a short time to Florida from Oct 2016 to March 2017. While we were in Florida, we visited so many parks and beaches. It was a like a 5 month vacation.  The top two rows are birds seen in my neighborhood or in a Maryland park, the last row of birds are from Delaware and Florida. 

Top row: Bald Eagle couple, Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker.

Middle row: Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Great Blue Heron, Scarlet Tanager and a Little Blue Heron.

Bottom row: Egret at Bombay Hook NWR in Delaware, Black-bellied Whistling ducks in Florida neighborhood, Reddish Egret @ Merritt Island NWR and the Roseate Spoonbill. 




9.   2017...I have a variety of birds seen during this year on on my blog. I have so many favorite birds, I guess it is best to say my favorite bird is the one I am seeing at that moment.  It is hard to pick just 12 photos for the year,. These birds are from Circle B Preserve in Florida, Lakeland Florida, my neighborhood, backyard and from a visit to Sunset Beach North Carolina.

Top Row: Green Heron @ Circle B Florida, Wood Storks @ Circle B, Painted Bunting @ Circle B and Great Horned Owl nest Lakeland Florida.

Middle Row: Monk Paraketts @ Florida, Great Blue Heron @Prettyboy Md, Ovenbird @ Prettyboy Md,  Belted Kingfisher @ Bombay Hook NWR in Delaware.

Bottom row: female Ruby-throated Hummingbird backyard, Northern Flicker @ Prettyboy, Black Skimmers @ Sunset Beach North Carolina, Tufted Titmouse backyard.




10.  2018...more of my favorite yard birds are seen. 
Top row: in my yard are the female Northern Cardinal, Eastern Bluebirds, Pine warbler and a Fox Sparrow. 


Second Row, American Bittern seen in a Maryland State Park, Summer Tanager off the fire road, Osprey nest at Piney Point Lighthouse Md, Brown Pelican at sunset at Point Lookout State Park, Md. 

Bottom Row are the Black-throated Blue warbler in my yard, Brown Creeper off the fire road, Screech Owl in my front yard, Pine Siskins at my feeder.




11.  2019...On this mosaic I am including my favorite birds seen during the year and some critters like the Assateague pony and the Black Bear. 

Top row: Snow Bunting, North Pt State Park Md, Assateague Pony, Purple Finches on my deck and Blue Jay on the deck railing.

Middle Row in my yard two Pileated Woodpeckers, Little Blue Heron at North PY State Park Md, Black & White Warbler with a female American Redstart at Shenandoah NP and A Yellow-billed Cuckoo seen off the fire road.


Bottom row is the Northern Fulmar seen in Iceland, Cooper's Hawk on deck railing, Black Bear seen in Shenandoah and in the yard a Cardinal couple.




12.  2020..What a year! The Covid-19 Pandemic curtailed our travels and activities with lots of social distancing. But, we managed to visit a few places before the lockdown. Most of the places were outdoor and nature related and easy to social distance. 

Top row: an Anhinga seen in Hilton Head SC, a Dark-eyed Junco on my deck railing, Pine Warbler on the deck, An American Goldfinch on the deck.

Middle row: Great-crested Flycatcher seen off the fire road, Scarlet Tanager seen in Shenandoah NP, Osprey on nest seen at Blackwater NWR MD, Common Yellowthroat Warbler seen at the NCR bike trail. 


Bottom row: Red-breasted Nuthatch seen at Hashawha Carroll Co Md, Black-throated Blue Warbler in back yard, Common Mergansers seen at Loch Raven Reservoir in Md and at my feeder a Tufted Titmouse with female Purple Finches. 



As you can see birdwatching was one of my favorite hobbies, I loved watching the birds in my yard, neighborhood and during all our travels over the years. 

"Birdwatching is your lifetime ticket to the theatre of nature."


I am also linking up to Anni's blog party found here I'd Rather B Birding   Anni always has some beautiful birds to be seen on her blog, check it out!


Here is my linky:

YOU are all # 1.



Thanks to all my visitors and for your comments now and over the past 12 years.  Stop back to see any replies to your comments.


Monday, July 5, 2021

Happy Monday!

 Happy Monday everyone!


I wish you a a great day and a happy new week!



Cape Flattery Lighthouse, view from the Cape Flattery trail on the Makah Reservation, Washington State.








Comments off!  Enjoy your day! 

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a ha ppy new week! "One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day." "T...