Saturday, June 24, 2023

Saturday's Critters # 497

 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!

A break from my Ireland photos, I am trying to catch up with my yard birds and flowers, local walks on the fire road and to the lake which is pictured as my header photo. 

The week of June 12th,  I found my hummingbird feeders down on the ground and emptied. I was not sure what was happening, maybe a raccoon or as it turned out our neighbor saw a black bear in our yard on evening of the 14th around 8pm. It has been making the rounds at various neighbor's yards and bird feeders. I wish I was able to see it, now I am looking out my windows in the evening and bringing in my feeders. 

1. A White-eyed Vireo, White-tailed Deer, Prettyboy Reservoir, Eagle's Nest, Common Loon, wild azaleas, more deer and wildflowers.




2. The Common Loon is not often seen at our lake, I was happy to see this one a good distance from the lake shore where I was standing. It was amazing to hear the loon call, a very cool sound. 



3. The Eastern Bluebirds are back again using a different nest box, today I saw the male divebomb a squirrel that was on my deck railing. 



4. Our Rhododendrons, various Clematis, Siberian Iris, Catmint, Columbine, Lantana and a white Waterlily. 



5. A pair of Double-crested Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, Canada Geese and the Belted Kingfishers. 



6. A pair of Great Blue Heron with a group of Canada Geese. 



7. A Belted Kingfisher couple, the male is offering a small fish to the female on the left. 



8. Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, Columbine is still blooming and lots of Clematis, my yard birds are the Great-crested Flycatcher, House Wren, Cardinal, Ruby-throated Hummingbird and a Chipping Sparrow. 




9. This Ovenbird was upset to see us walking on the fire road, he came and started fussing at us just for walking by.  You can see the agitated adult raise their Black-bordered Orange crown. 




10. These birds sing loudly, I can hear them all around my yard. 




11. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, these birds are small and have a cute sound.  I usually hear them more often than I see them, they move around quickly.




I hope you enjoyed my yard birds and the birds I see around my neighborhood.  


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

113 comments:

Mae Travels said...

Your photos are lovely, especially the kingfisher.
Thanks for hosting.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com

chica said...

Puxa, será é mesmo o urso que está atacando, derrubando os comedouros? Bah! Imagino o susto se o vires!

Lindas todas as fotos e bichos desse sábado. As flores igualmente muito lindas!

beijos, ótimo fim de semana! chica

Angie's Recipes said...

Love blue-gray gnatcatcher! I think they sound really sweet and happy. Have a fabulous weekend, Eileen!

Shiju Sugunan said...

Your week was filled with exciting wildlife encounters, including a black bear in your yard that must have brought a mix of nerves and awe. Your garden blooms were simply beautiful, and loved seeing the Double-crested Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, and Belted Kingfisher.

Anne Seltmann said...

Hallo Eileen!


It's wonderful when I see so many bird species that I don't know yet. Since I live in northern Germany, there are also some species that we don't have here.
I've never seen the Eastern Bluebirds either. He just looks great!

Have a nice weekend and best regards

italiafinlandia said...

I love seeing the Loon, whenever it happens, anche hearing its call.
You have beautiful flowers in your garden, you can enjoy them.
The Belted kingfishers photo is my favourite in this post. 👏 Great capture.
Happy and sunny weekend!

roentare said...

You always have so many colourful birds captured on camera. They are so gorgeous to look at

Majo Dutra said...

Dear Eillen, your backyard is very well visited! What a marvel of creatures and sounds!
I was delighted to see that you also identify the plants and their flowers...
Have a very pleasant and happy week.
~~~~~~~

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Eileen A Black bear in your garden I woujld have thought was too close for comfort however if you want to see it in your garden, (once!) then leave out some food and it will be back! Great bird photographs and yes the Loon make a wonderful call. Thanks for hosting and commenting. I hope you have a lovely week ahead.

Cloudia said...

I heard a loon and saw a bear. What a wonderful post! Thank you Eileen and for being our hostess

Veronica Lee said...

So many beautiful critters and flowers in this delightful post, Eileen.
I indeed enjoyed your yard birds and the birds you sighted in your neck of the woods.

Hugs and blessings

Irma said...

Hi Eileen,
These are beautiful series of photos and collages.
The Eastern Bluebird the Cardinal and the Ruby-throated hummingbird are my favourites.
I wish you a very good weekend.
Greetings Irma

Marit said...

Hello Eileen,

Your mosaic of photos are so beautiful. You have pretty rhorodendrons, clematis, iris and columbines. I like them all. Your yardbirds are very pretty too. Take care, and have a great weekend!

Bill said...

Beautiful photos, Eileen. Interesting to read that you have a bear prowling your neighborhood, he must be enjoying all the feeders that people have out for the birds Have a great weekend and thanks for hosting.

MadSnapper said...

I have never seen a lot of these birds with my own eyes, never seen a loon or heard one except in movies. the view in your header is gorgeous. we have really small bird, just an inch or so bigger than a humming bird, that comes each night at the same time and sits on the skyway the squirrels use. no idea what it is

Tom said...

...Eileen, you have a fabulous collection of flora and fauna! Thanks for sharing and hosting today. Enjoy your weekend.

Kenneth Cole Schneider said...

We have been taking the feeders inside each night. We had two visits from a Black Bear visit last summer. It had been reported in the neighborhood and we had our feeders demolished by one when we lived in New Mexico. So far only one visited this year and stayed only briefly. If rewarded with food they surely will come back. Only one Clematis bloomed of the three that we "inherited" from the prior owners. They had been neglected and invaded by Bittersweet and I may have damaged them when trying to separate the noxious vine which has similar foliage. Have had only fleeting looks at our gnatcatchers The Ovenbird was very vocal, but only for a week or so. Your lake is beautiful and the loon was a nice find. Our three baby Great Crested Flycatchers are thriving, thanks to their hard-working parents who wait for me to bring them out after they spend the night inside.

Phil Slade said...

Shame about your feeders Eileen. Are Black bears dangerous? I ask because here in England we have no bears at all. I believe that loons are so called because of their weird calls. Lovely Ovenbird shots and it appears that you were close to their nesting spot.. Thanks for the link today and have a great weekend.

orchid0324 said...

Dearest Eileen; I was busy today & I'm getting ready for dinner now; it's before 8 at night p;-) I'll write comment for you later, please just read this comment. Miyako

John's Island said...

Good morning Eileen, What a delightful post. You won’t be surprised to hear that I found the story about your hummingbird feeders fascinating. This is the first year I recall hearing about black bears going after the feeders. Just in the last couple of weeks we had a story on the local news where a person over in Bellevue had used their phone to capture a short video of a black bear going right up to their hummer feeder and drinking down all the nectar. They must be able to smell the sugar. 😊 And yes, in that story the bear took down the feeder too. Now, I truly admire your access to so many natural beauties, the birds, deer, flowers … it’s just great and thank you for snapping the photos and sharing with us. Well, I finally got a new post published this week and I’m linking up this morning. As I was putting my post together I realized I didn’t have a critter included, but then, had the idea of adding some pics from the archive … 20 years ago … and found the pic of the rattlesnake. 😊 Hope you have a happy day and weekend. Best regards to you from Seattle. John

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Mae! Have a great weekend!

Jenn Jilks said...

You can see our bears on the trailcam! Momma has twins. They walk about in the dark. Sorry about your feeder. It's why I have to take mine down in summer. Thanks for hosting!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Chica, for your visit and your comment!
I believe the same bear is returning, if it finds any food to eat it will keep coming back.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Angie, for your visit and your comment!
The gnatcatchers are sweet, I always enjoy watching them.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Shiju, for your link and comment!
I was hoping to see the bear, most times they will run away.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Anne, for your link and your comment!
The Bluebird is beautiful to see.
Take care, have a great weekend.

Marie Smith said...

I hope you don’t see a bear in the backyard. It would be exciting though. Love all the critters this week, Eileen. So many blooms too. What a spectacular time of year! Have a wonderful weekend!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Luisella, for your link and comment!
It was a treat to hear the loon calling.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your link and comment!
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Majo, for your visit and the comment!
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Margaret, for your link and your comment!
I do not want to feed the bears, but I would like to see the one that is hanging around here.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Cloudia, for your link and comment!
It is great to see both the loons and the bears.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Veronica, for your link and comment!
I feel lucky to see all these birds.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Irma, for your link and comment!
The Bluebirds have always been a favorite of mine.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Marit, for your visit and comment!
Our flowers are doing good considering we did not have much rain.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Bill, for your link and comment!
I did take in my feeders at night, the bear is not around during the daytime.
We do have a blueberry bush that might attract the bear too.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Sandra! It was a thrill just to hear the loon call and great to see. I love all the birds. Have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Tom, for your link and comment!
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Ken, for your link and comment!
I really enjoyed your Great-crested Flycatcher story and photos. I hope those babies are doing well.
I was thrilled to see the loon and hear it's call, a nice surprise and sighting.
I am hoping the bear moves on, but bear sightings have been all over our state this month.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Phil, for your link and comment!
Usually the bears are shy and will run away from people. If they have cubs that is a different story, they would attack.
Take care, have a great weekend.

Barbara Rogers said...

Love your new header photo! And all your critters and flowers are also beautiful. Singing birds are such a blessing aren't they? Black bears have been after feeders in our town for all the 16 years I've lived here...and are a real menace for garbage cans. They are more healthy and prolific now from eating all that people food! I am sad/happy to see people's photos of mama bears near their homes with 2, 3, or 4 cubs.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Miyako, for your link and comment!
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you John, for your link and comment!
My hummingbird feeders were down 4 different times before I heard that our neighbors saw the bear in our yard.
Now, I am taking them down until there are no more bear sightings. But we have blueberry bushes that might attract the bear too. Years ago, we had a bear on our deck it knock over a metal trash can that held a 50lb bag of sunflower seeds. My hubby looked out our kitchen window and only saw the bear's butt hanging out of the trash can, it was having a feast. He turned on the outside light and the bear ran off. Our neighbor had their bee boxes knock over . Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Jenn, for your link and comment!
I did enjoy your bear and cubs.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Marie, for your visit and comment!
I love all wildlife and would like to see the bear, but I do not want it hanging around all the time.
Take care, have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Barbara! I would worry if a bear was hanging around that had cubs. They can be dangerous and protective of their babies. The bears here seem to be teenagers, moving around maybe looking for a mate. Take care, have a wonderful weekend.

Melbourne Australia Photos said...

Always lovely to stop by and admire your beautiful photos, Eileen. Love those kingfishers and of course the little bluebirds. Thanks for hosting and have a great new week!

magiceye said...

Cute critters! Happy weekend!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Nick, I appreciate the link and comment today. Have a great day and happy new week!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for the link and comment. Have a great day and happy new week ahead.

Lea said...

Great photos of the birds, and lovely flowers, too!
My favorite today is the Bluebird.
Have a wonderful weekend!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I bring in my feeders at night too. Black Bears are not a problem but marauding raccoons certainly are. They tend to knock the feeders to the ground and after a few falls the risk of damage increases. Actually, for the first time in years, I have stopped feeding altogether for the summer months, other than for hummingbirds.

John's Island said...

What a story about the bear having a feast. Had to LOL about the only thing showing was the bear's butt! 😊 Thank you for the reply and for your kind comments on my blog. Take good care!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Lea, I appreciate your linking up and the comment. Have a great weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you David! I have had raccoon problems too, I only put out the Hummingbird feeders too. Have a great weekend.

ellen b. said...

Love the bluebird and that ovenbird (funny name). Great collection of critters. Hope your weekend is lovely!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Ellen, I appreciate the comment. Have a great weekend.

Red said...

Awesome new header!

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

It's a wonderful time of year for birders! Love those two Kingfishers and bluebirds are welcome at any time. Great photos of birds and pretty blooms too! Happy weekend!

carol l mckenna said...

Wonderful series of photos of our 'feathered friends' ~ Good for the Eastern Bluebird dive bombing the squirrel ~

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Debbie said...

beautiful images today ellen, the bluebird is gorgeous!! i see loons here all the time at the inlet, i always enjoy spotting them!! i am not sure i have ever heard of an ovenbird, who came up with that odd name?! enjoy the weekend if you are able, we have lots of rain in our forecast!! many thanks for hosting us critter lovers!!

RedPat said...

The Ovenbird is in a bit of a mood. Good shot of him, Eileen.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Kind of more exciting than I would appreciate having a black bear rummaging around your yard. Raccoons are bad enough. I caught them last year hanging from the bird feeders and tearing everything up. Since we got our little dog we have sealed up our backyard a lot better so I haven't seen evidence of the bandits in the backyard.

I love the variety of birds you got.

photowannabe said...

Hi, I am popping over from Hootin' Anni's link. I see a few of my fellow blogger friends too. That being said, I love all your critters on this post. We have a few birds flitting around our yard and through your blog I will probably find out what they are.
The quail family is gone (I hope the neighbor's cat wasn't successful in stalking them) and now the mocking bird couple have flown the coop too.
Sue

Bob Bushell said...

Absolutely stunning Eileen, so many.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Red, for the visit and comment!
Take care, have a great weekend

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Diane, for your link and comment!
I do love those birds too. Always a treat to see.
Take care, have a great weekend

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Carol, for your link and comment!
the Bluebirds are brave and protective.
Take care, have a great weekend

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Debbie, for your link and comment!
Ovenbird is a strange name for a bird.
We needed the rain badly, this past week is was mostly just a constant drizzle.
Take care, have a great weekend

eileeninmd said...

Thank you RedPat, for your link and comment!
Take care, have a great weekend

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Alan, for your link and comment!
The raccoons can be very destructive. A bear visit would be exciting.
Take care, have a great weekend

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Sue, for your visit and comment!
Birdwatching is one of my simple pleasures.
Take care, have a great weekend

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Bob, for your link and comment!
Take care, have a great weekend

William Kendall said...

Quite a mix of birds!

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Wonderful photos. You have so many lovely birds to see.

NatureFootstep said...

hi Eileen. How nice to see your wilelife and flower. The deers are lovely an I love the eyes of the Ovenbird.

HappyK said...

Incredible photos!!! Love the bluebird and what a great capture of the herons and the geese!!
I've never heard of an ovenbird but that picture is amazing.
When we lived in town there was a bear making the rounds too and destroyed a bird feeder or two.

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

I see you've spotted some deer also- aren't they a wonder to watch? Sorry I posted my link in the wrong place- I am trying to get this posted so I can take myself to bed and hopefully I will feel better in the morning. Thank yo for hosting. I have missed connecting with the critters.

Linda said...

Great variety of shots. Definitely keep bringing in the feeder because bears can become a nuisance.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you William! Take care, happy Sunday. Have a great new week!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for the visit and comment. I do love the birds. Have a great day and happy new week!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Monica! I appreciate you linking up and for the comment. Have a wonderful week!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Karen! The bears have made the news, they seem to be all over the state. Have a great day and happy new week!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for the link and comment. I do enjoy seeing the deer, sometimes I see them wandering around our yard.
Take care, have a wonderful week!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Linda! I hope the bear has moved on! Have a great day and wonderful new week!

Teresa said...

Me parece todo precioso, me encantan los pájaros y las flores. Abrazos.

Black Knight said...

Thanks to this beautiful post I can learn about birds that I don't know.
Have a good Sunday.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Teresa! Have a great week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thanks so much for the visit and comment. Take care, have a wonderful week!

Jeanie said...

I've only seen a loon one on our lake -- I'm glad you had a good sighting. My wrens are still in residence. I'd like to think they'd stay forever. Not likely, I think.

Lydia C. Lee said...

You get such lovely birds. That red one in particular. Just fantastic.

rupam sarma said...

So beautiful pics, Have a nice week ahead

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Jeanie! It was a treat to hear the loon calling. Have a great week!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Lydia, for the link and comment. Have a great week!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for the visit and comment. Take care, have a wonderful week!

Gillena Cox said...

Happy Monday Eileen. My Monday post is HERE

much❤love

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Gillena! Have a great day and happy new week!

Sharon Wagner said...

The castle in your first post looks princess perfect!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Sharon! Take care, have a wonderful week!

Nancy Chan said...

Nature is peaceful and refreshing. Love to see the beautiful plants and critters.

eileeninmd said...

Thanks so much Nancy, for linking up and for the comment. Take care, have a great day and week ahead.

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Eileen
Many thanks for a lovely post.
What a great mix of photographs to enjoy.
I always like your Eastern Bluebirds, what fabulous colouring they have.

Wishing you a good week.

All the best Jan

DeniseinVA said...

Thank you Eileen, always a great pleasure to see what you have share. I hope your dear bear moves on. It’s that time of year again.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Denise! I think the bear has left now. Take care, enjoy your day!

eileeninmd said...

Thanks Jan! The Bluebirds are a favorite of mine too. Have a great day!

EricaSta said...

Each picture is amazing here, dear Eileen. But - I don`t know why - the little Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is my favorite today. He looks very canny and sure, he finds solutions to every problem.

Thank you again for hosting, dear blogfriend and being part of
MosaicMonday

Wish you a wonderful week, hugs by Heidrun

Tanza Erlambang said...

Loon is beautiful critter... love her sound too

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Heidrun, I appreciate the comment. Have a happy weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Tanza Have a great weekend.

GreenComotion said...

I see some familiar faces. They are all gorgeous, all the time and great snaps. Thank you for hosting!

eileeninmd said...

Thanks so much for the comment. Take care, have a great weekend.

Laura. M said...

Preciosos tus rododendros. Y gracias por compartir tos dos loa pájaros que visitan vuestro jardín.
Buen fin d eseman Eileen.
Un abrazo..

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Laura! Take care, have a wonderful week!

Saturday's Critters # 568

  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 ...