Happy Monday!

Happy Monday everyone!

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

Bison, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. 

We often came across the Bison traffic jam in Yellowstone.

Bison, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. 

"Photos are a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off, enjoy your day!

Saturday's Critters # 406

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 way behind sharing photos from our walks and outings. These images are from our last visit and walk at the North Point State Park in Baltimore County, Maryland. We like hiking on the Black Marsh Trail, it takes us past some wetlands and wildlife sightings. We walk the loop trail just far enough to see the Chesapeake Bay then we backtracked. 

1. My sightings from our walk, Slider Turtle, Little Blue Heron, Northern Rough-winged Swallows, Double-crested Cormorants, Belted Kingfisher, Swallow, Great Blue Heron, Darter Dragonfly, Red-shouldered Hawk and the Swamp or Rose Mallows

2. The Little Blue Heron is one bird I can usually find at this park, Usually I can see juveniles, the Mottled and the adult Little Blue Heron. On this visit we only saw one adult Little Blue Heron, which is ok I am happy seeing just one. 

 Below you can see the bicolored bill, the blue body with the maroon head and neck. they are about 24 inches in length.

3. Little Blue Heron with it's catch.  

4. I am pretty sure, in other words guessing the birds below are the Northern Rough-winged Swallows. 

5. I tried for a closer look at this Swallow. These swallows do not have the shiny look on their feathers that show up on a Tree Swallow. 

6. A pretty look at a Great Blue Heron seen from the trail.

7.  The Red-eared Slider is the most common Slider turtle seen in Maryland. 

8. A Red-shouldered Hawk looked to be on the hunt, looking down at something we couldn't see. 

9. Looking out at the Chesapeake Bay, I could see a "gulp" of Double-crested Cormorants. The word "Gulp" is a name used to describe a group of Cormorants. 

Not a critter, but a  cute photo of my grandson enjoying his first sunrise at the beach.

I hope you enjoyed my birds and photos from our walk at the North Point State Park, it is one of my favorite Maryland State Parks.  

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.

Happy Monday!

 Happy Monday everyone!

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

"Photos are a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off, enjoy your day!

Saturday's Critters # 405

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!

We have been sticking close to home lately, more walks on the local fire roads and to the lake. Some images are from my backyard, birds and blooms. 

1. The Hummingbird loves our potted Hibiscus and the Upright Fuchsia plants, the bees and butterflies love the zinnias and buddleia. All these plants keep putting out blooms, adding color to our back yard all summer into fall.

2. I've been watching the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds visiting my feeder and the various plants. This female seems to have taken over the duty of protecting her feeder and flowers.  They have been chasing each other all around the yard. 

3. The Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are a common sight on our Buddleia Butterfly bushes.

4. There are times I can see 10 of the Fritillary Butterflies on our bushes.

5. I was able to catch two of these Skippers on the butterfly bush. 

6. Some birds and views of our Prettyboy Reservoir, Great Blue Heron, Carolina Wren, Belted Kingfisher, Canada Geese, possible Spotted Sandpiper and another Great Blue Heron. 

7. I know this is a bad photo of a Sandpiper, I watched it fly in and land across the cove from us. It foraged in the mud on the lake shore. A branch goes across hiding the front of it's head, I am guessing it is a Spotted Sandpiper. 

8. I've been seeing the Carolina Wren in the same spot on different days. A few times there were 2 Carolina Wrens, maybe a parent and juvenile? 

9. This is a view of the lake from the fire road trail, it has become one of my favorite local walks. I can see and hear so many different birds on this walk. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is usually always heard but I have not been able to find it sitting in all these trees.

10.  More recently I have been seeing the fall warblers in my back yard, they seem to love the berries on the (Aralia spinosa)  Devil's Walking Stick . 

Below are the Cape May Warblers males and females, Northern Parula, Scarlet Tanager, Tennessee Warbler, another shot of a Cardinal with the Tennessee Warbler. 

The grand-dogs ( Nibbles and Winnie the Corgi)  were here on their doggie vacation.  While our son, DIL and grandson Wyatt all go to the beach for their vacation. 

So this is my critter post for this week, I am looking forward to seeing your Saturday Critter post.

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.

Happy Monday!

 Happy Monday everyone!

Wishing you all a happy day and a great new week! 

"Be Kind, we rise by lifting others." 

A break during the raft float trip on the Snake River, view of the Grand Tetons.

Snake River float trip, Wyoming.

"Photos are a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off, enjoy your day! 

Saturday's Critters # 404

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 continuing our little getaway on Aug 2-3rd, after leaving Bombay Hook NWR we drove to Blackwater NWR in Cambridge Md. We arrived in Blackwater NWR a little later in the day so we drove the wildlife drive once and had a quick early dinner at a local BBQ joint and then headed to our hotel for the night in Easton Md.

1. Various scenes from Blackwater NWR. The Blackwater River wetlands, trail walk, Osprey, Great Egret, Terns and a Great Blue Heron.

2. A scenic view of Blackwater NWR.

3. Ospreys on nest, one adult and two juveniles.

4. 2 juvenile and one adult Osprey on nest. One of the young osprey looked like it was talking to it's sibling. Maybe a meal was not being shared. 

5. Below are a group of terns, a little far away for a good photo.  I am going back and forth, are they Common Terns or the Forster's Terns.

6. A Great Blue Heron adjusting it's feathers. 

This is one of my shorter post with less photos. I will do another post on Blackwater at another time.  

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.

"Be Nice, judge less and love more."

Happy Monday!

 Happy Monday everyone,  Happy Labor Day! 

Wishing everyone a great day and a happy new week! 

"Photos are a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Watching ships lined up to go through the Panama Canal.

"If we could spread love as quickly as we spread hate and negativity, what an amazing world we would live in."

Comments Off, enjoy your day! 

Saturday's Critters # 403

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!

On Aug 2-3rd hubby and I managed a getaway to visit Bombay Hook NWR in Delaware and Blackwater NWR in Cambridge Md.  It was time to see some shorebirds before they headed south. 

Click on photos for larger viewing.

1. Some views of Bombay Hook NWR and the wildlife drive, one of ponds, Semipalmated Plovers and Black-necked Stilts.

2. We were happy to see the 4 Roseate Spoonbills that were being seen at Bombay Hook NWR. They were a distance from the wildlife drive and they were spaced too far apart to capture all 4 in one photo. I did mange to catch 3 of the Roseate Spoonbills along with a Mute Swan and some ducks. 

3. Below a popular gathering spot for the birds, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets and a possible Little Egret along with Laughing Gulls, Terns, Canada Geese and ducks. I am guessing tern with the bright orange beak is a Caspian Tern? 

4. Bombay Hook NWR is a great place to see the Black-necked Stilt.

5.  A Great Blue Heron and a Tricolored Heron on the top row and the bottom row is various shorebirds, Egrets, Canada Geese and ducks on the left and on the right are the Roseate Spoonbills with some Mute Swans. 

6. We watched the Canada Geese taking off a few times, they flew by our car. 

7. So far away, in the background are the 4 Rosate Spoonbills, their pink color stands out a little. In the foreground are Mallards, Canada Geese and some Egrets. 

8. I am guessing at all the birds top line below, unknown juvenile Tern, Yellowlegs and 2 Dowitchers. Not the best photo for id's, Lesser or Greater, Short-billed or Long-billed. Bottom row are 2 Semipalmated Plovers and 3 Wood Ducks. 

9. A family of Black-necked Stilts with one Glossy Ibis..

10. One of the many Great Blue Heron's seen along the wildlife drive. 

11. The Tricolored Heron taking a break from it's foraging for food.

12.  A few Wood Ducks seen below. 

The Roseate Spoonbills are showing up all over the place now, there are being seen in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania and some other states. Other birds usually seen in Florida are showing up here too, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, a Wood Stork and a Limpkin in Maryland. Are these birds on the move looking for food?  The reason for their appearance, I do not know. After two loops around the wildlife drive we left Bombay Hook NWR in Delaware and headed to Blackwater NWR in Cambridge Md. We spent the night in a nearby Easton Md hotel, so we could do the Blackwater NWR wildlife drive early in the morning. I will make another post on my sightings at the Blackwater NWR. 

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.