Saturday's Critters # 489

  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 behind a bit on sharing birds from my yard, neighborhood and various walks.  These photos are from the end of March up to the beginning of April. 

1.  March 26th,  the White-breasted Nuthatch is a common bird seen in my yard and around the Prettyboy watershed. 

Click on photos for larger viewing.

2. March 27th , a walk to the lake, a vulture taking care of some road kill, the fire road, a Pied-billed Grebe, Canada Geese, Double-crested Cormorants, juvenile Bald Eagle, Downy Woodpecker and an Eastern Phoebe.  

3. March 27th, the Eastern Phoebe is a bird I can easily id by it's song. The song sounds like they are saying their name fee-bee. 

4. March 29, in the back yard the Dark-eyed Juncos are still here, a winter bird in this area.  We are starting to see some spring and summer birds move back to the area. 

5. March 29th, I have a pair of Eastern Bluebirds using one of our nesting boxes in the back yard.  

6. March 29th, it is a treat to see the Bluebirds using one of our nest boxes.  I hope their nesting is successful.  

7. March 31, our walk was on the trail at the nearby George's Creek. We saw a Winter Wren, White-throated Sparrow, Bald Eagle, Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Phoebe, Green-winged Teal and lots of Canada Geese. 

8. March 31, the past few months have been great for seeing various duck species at our Prettyboy Reservoir. One this day we saw a group of Green-winged Teal. I was far away and the photo is not sharp but you can id these ducks.  They have a rufous head with a teal green patch near their eyes, there is a white bar on the side of the breast. 

9. April 1st, I have been enjoying seeing the Eastern Bluebirds in my yard. I hope to see their babies soon.  

10. April 3rd, we took a walk on a close by fire road. I heard lots of birds singing, I am pretty sure I heard a Pine Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler and an Ovenbird, these birds are breeders in the forest next to our home. Next to the fire road I found a couple of Hermit Thrush. 

11.  Various dates in April: Butterflies and blooms around our yard. Swallowtails, Azaleas, Dogwood and Redbud blooms.

Thank you for sharing your critters and post!

Thanks to all my visitors and for your past and present comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves and respects wildlife. Thank you for linking up a critter post.

Here is my linky:

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! Also, I am also linking up to Heidrun's Mosaic Monday  I hope you can stop by and visit Heidrun and check out the Mosaic Monday post. 

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a happy new week!

"Believe in yourself, never give in."

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 2023

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal, It is the courage to continue that counts."  Churchill

"We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off, enjoy your day!

Saturday's Critters # 488

 Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

Hello and happy Saturday!   Happy Earth Day!  

 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 images are from our last morning in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I have mish mash of birds photos and an iguana seen at our resort.  I love to travel and see new places, but the last travel day is not fun. The airports can be crowded and we spent 5 hours in the Houston Hobby airport going through the US immigrations and customs and then waiting for our last flight home. 

1.  Sightings from our last morning at the resort in Mexico, top row are the  Whimbrel and Sandpiper. Second Row are two different Orioles, the last row are the Frigatebirds, Oriole and Rock Pigeons.

Click on images for better viewing!

2. These two Orioles were seen from our balcony , the photos shows more of their backs, could the be the Streaked-back Orioles?

This Oriole was hanging out in the same trees as the two Orioles above. This bird is missing the white bars on the wings, possibly a young Oriole or female? 

3. This looks like the Orchard Oriole, the dark head and rust colored body. 

4. The Whimbrel was hanging out on the beach every day, close to the Sandpiper I am showing below. 

5.  The next two photos are the same bird, we saw it on the beach every morning. I was tossed between a Willet or a Sandpiper. 

6. Hubby and I on most mornings would sit on the beach at our resort and watch the birds, whales and dolphins. Sometimes they put on a great show.  

7. Dolphins playing around in the bay right in front of our resort. 

8. The whales were splishing and splashing, the dolphins were closer to the people kayaking. 

9.  Humpback Whale flapping it's long fin.  

10. We did not see many Iguanas during our stay in Mexico, this was one of two that we saw at the resort. 

11.  An extra from our birding tour on March 7th, I missed sharing a couple of Warblers we saw the Nashville Warbler on the left and a lifer the Lucy's Warbler and the right.  The Nashville Warbler I have seen in the fall in my yard eating berries.

Thank you for sharing your critters and post!

Thanks to all my visitors and for your past and present comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves and respects wildlife. Thank you for linking up a critter post.

Here is my linky:

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! Also, I am also linking up to Heidrun's Mosaic Monday  I hope you can stop by and visit Heidrun and check out the Mosaic Monday post. 

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a happy new week!

"If you truly love nature you will find beauty everywhere."

Marietas Islands, Puerto Vallarta,  Mexico 2023

" All good things in life are wild and free."

 "We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off, enjoy your day!

Saturday's Critters # 487

 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 critter photos, join in with my critter party ! You can share your post that includes any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!

March 8, this is part 2 of our boat trip to the Marietas Islands in Puerto Vallarta. If you are ever in the area, the Vallarta Adventures Marietas Eco Discovery boat tour is highly recommended. Boats are not allowed to land on the island, it is a national park and sanctuary for the birds. Snorkelers are allowed in the water for 30 minutes and have to be back on their boats in the allotted time. They have park boats around enforcing the rules. All my photos are taken from our boat. 

Click on photos for better views. 

1. Seeing the Blue-footed Booby was a highlight of the tour for me, I did love seeing the whales too. The baby Blue-footed Booby is born all white, their bright blue feet are a product of their diet. 

2. The Blue-footed Booby nest on the ground, they are excellent divers plunging into the water and eat mostly small fish. They have a wingspan of almost 5 feet. 

3. During mating season the males will strut around showing off their bright blue feet.  

4. The Magnificent Frigatebird nest on the islands too, we watched a few come and go to this nest.  Their nest are usually located near the Bromelia plant, the thorns keep predators away and providing the eggs and babies protection .

5. The Magnificent Frigatebird  is a large seabird, it has a forked tail and has a sturdy long bill with a hooked tip. They like to chase other birds and steal their food.  

6. The Brown Booby is common and widespread, my first sighting was in the Caribbean in St. Thomas. They are seen around the Atlantic and a few times at the Baltimore Harbor. 

7. The Brown Booby are a dark brown with white bellies. They have pale bills and yellow feet. Juveniles are dark billed and mostly brown in color. The nest and forage in groups, their nest can be on the beach, cliffs and hillsides. 

8. There were plenty of gulls around the island, we saw the Laughing Gulls and the Heermann's Gulls, which were both plentiful. 

9. Various photos from the boat tour, we had lunch and drinks. We had to watch the gulls they were trying to steal lunch right off our plates. Hubby decided not to snorkel, the water temps were cold. He would have needed to bring his wet suit. We were also entertained by the crew. It was a fun tour and a great last full day in Mexico. 

10. On the islands and in the sky, the birds were being seen everywhere we looked. Above are the Magnificent Frigatebirds , the Booby, Laughing Gulls and Heermann's Gulls. Also seen were Egrets and Great Blue Herons. 

Thank you for sharing your critters and post!

Thanks to all my visitors and for your past and present comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves and respects wildlife. Thank you for linking up a critter post.

Here is my linky:

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! Also, I am also linking up to Heidrun's Mosaic Monday  I hope you can stop by and visit Heidrun and check out the Mosaic Monday post. 

Happy Easter 2023!

 Happy Easter everyone!

May this joyful season of Easter fill your heart with renewed hope, love and peace! 

Saturday's Critters # 486

 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!

Happy Easter!  🐇🐰🥚

March 8th, hubby and I went on a boat tour to the Marietas Islands.  We saw so many wonderful sights on this tour I am breaking up the trip into two posts. The photos were from two docks, we were first on the boat at the Nuevo Vallarta Marina, then we picked up more people at the Puerto Vallarta dock. We had a great sightings of the whales and birds in flight on our way to the Marietas Islands. 

1. In the mosaic below are photos of the dock, a Magnificent Frigatebird, Pirate Ship and Cruise ships both at the dock, lots of Terns, Gulls and Brown Pelicans. 

Click on images for better viewing.

2. Magnificent Frigatebird perched on top of a boat. 

3.   At the Puerto Vallarta docks, I saw the Terns. I saw on ebird that both the Royal Tern and the Elegant Terns are seen at the Puerto Vallarta cruise port.  For some reason they all look similar to me, I do see some that have a lighter color gray. 

4. Laughing Gull, Brown Pelican and Terns. 

5. I am a little obsessed with Terns. Are they Royal Terns or Elegant Terns, or a mix of both? I am pretty sure they are not Caspian Terns, which are larger in size with a thicker heavy bill. 

6.   Some views of the whales sighted on the way out to the Marietas Island in the Bay of Banderas. 

7. I went from looking at the whales to looking up in the sky at the Blue-footed Boobies. These birds seem to be attracted to the water around the boat, they would dive into the water right next to the boat.  

8. It was fun watching these birds flying low over our boat. 

9. Which way to look, up or down. Of course, I was looking up at the Blue-footed Boobies. 

"Inside us all patiently waiting, sits a tiny little adventurous bird."

Thank you for sharing your critters and post!

Thanks to all my visitors and for your past and present comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves and respects wildlife. Thank you for linking up a critter post.

Here is my linky:

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! Also, I am also linking up to Heidrun's Mosaic Monday  I hope you can stop by and visit Heidrun and check out the Mosaic Monday post. 

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a happy new week!

"May all your blues be the ocean and the sky."

"Smell the sea, feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly."

 Marietas Islands, Mexico 2023

"We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off, enjoy your day!

Saturday's Critters # 485

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!

1. March 7, while visiting Puerto Vallarta Mexico I arranged a birding tour, we were picked up at our hotel and drove about 45 minutes through the "real" Mexico to the tropical forest. Our guide is Gerardo of Nature Vallarta Birding Tours. Gerardo was terrific, his knowledge of the local birds is amazing. I added 15 lifers to my life list.  We saw plenty more that were not lifers, Gerardo was nice to email me check list of all the birds we saw. 

In my mosaic below are the Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, San Blas Jay, female Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Crane Hawk, Streaked-back Oriole, female Varied Bunting, female Blue Grosbeak, male Varied Bunting, another Oriole, Inca Dove, Great Kiskadee, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Groove-billed Ani, Mexican Parrotlet, Vermilion Flycatcher, Masked Tityra, Stripe-headed Sparrow.

Click on images for better viewing!

2. The male Varied Bunting is a beautiful bird and a lifer, love the mix of colors on this bird. 

3. Ferruginous Pygmy Owl a lifer , is a small owl only 5.9 inches. This owl was a treat to see out in the open in a tree next to the road. 

Various angles of the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, this owl has patches on the back of it's head that resemble eyes. These false eyes often fool or confuse the owl's predators. The bottom middle photo shows these false eyes, known as ocelli. 

4. One of my lifers was the Rose-throated Becard below is a young male and under the first mosaic is the female Rose-throated Becard. 

5. Below is the female Varied Bunting.

6. Branches are always getting in my way, below is one of the 5 species of Orioles we saw and a female Blue Grosbeak.

7. The Mexican Parrotlets were a fun find and a lifer, we watched a flock of these little parrotlets eating some fruits in a nearby tree. They are only 5.5 inches with bright yellow-green bodies. They blend in well with the leaves. Adorable birds, I am so happy to have seen on this trip.

8. They may not all show in my mosaic below but we saw 5 different species of Orioles.  The Orchard Oriole, Hooded Oriole, Streak-backed Oriole, Bullock's Oriole and the Baltimore Oriole. 

9. The Groove-billed Ani, is not a lifer I had a quick look at one in Costa Rica.  I was happy to take a few photos of this bird posing nicely in a tree along the road. 

10. The Yellow-winged Cacique a lifer were one of my favorites, they make their presence known, they were noisy birds. 

11. I watched 3 of the Yellow-winged Cacique flying away, there were more in the trees next to the road. 

" I haven't seen all the birds but they are on my list."

Thank you for sharing your critters and post!

Thanks to all my visitors and for your past and present comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves and respects wildlife. Thank you for linking up a critter post.

Here is my linky:

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! Also, I am also linking up to Heidrun's Mosaic Monday  I hope you can stop by and visit Heidrun and check out the Mosaic Monday post.