Saturday, March 16, 2024

Saturday's Critters # 535

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 images are from day two of our getaway to Ocean City, we also stopped at the Indian River Inlet in Delaware and a visit to Assateague Island is always a must.  


1. We started off with a pretty sunrise from our Ocean City hotel, our first stop for the day was at the Indian River Inlet in Delaware. We saw lots of Brant Geese, Sanderlings, Long-tailed Ducks, Great Cormorants and there were some surfers out catching the waves. 





2. Also at the Indian River Inlet were some Red-breasted Mergansers with the pretty Long-tailed Ducks.





3. A wind blown Great Blue Heron near the campground at Indian River Inlet. 





4. On the Delaware beach we saw a big flock of Sanderlings.  






5. At the Indian River Inlet we can always see the Long-tailed Ducks, this flock was flying back and forth at the inlet.  




6.  Loon with a crab, seen at the Indian River Inlet.




7. We stopped at the Ocean City Inlet to look for more sea ducks, we saw the Surf Scoter, more Long-tailed Ducks, Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstones and some Purple Sandpipers.  





8. We saw a Surf Scoter at the Ocean City Inlet. The male has a colorful with a black, white, red and orange bill. 







9. Next we headed to Assateague Island National Seashore. We walked on the Marsh Trail and the Forest trail. We saw more Great Blue Herons and Sanderlings and a flock of Mergansers.  





10. The beach at Assateague Island National Seashore is always a pretty sight. 




11. The Assateague Ponies are always a favorite sight to see. 





I hope you enjoyed day two of our getaway.


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.



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.




Thank you for sharing your critters and post!


Here is my linky:





117 comments:

  1. the Great Blue Heron with ruffled feathers is a great image! Also the duck with its prey in its mouth.
    Thanks for hosting Saturday Critters.
    best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Mae, for your critter link and comment!
      I couldn't pass up a photo of that Heron, he/she looked very cold that morning.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  2. I adore the bird with the crab! It's always so pleasant to be with you Eileen. Thanks Aloha!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Cloudia, for your critter link and comment.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  3. Good Morning, Eileen! A great shot of that loon with a crab...perfect timing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Angie, for your comment and your visit.
      Timing is everything, it was neat to see the Loon pop up with the crab in it's mouth.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  4. Beautiful birds and water which I love. Thanks for the stunning photos. I especially liked the one where the duck eats! Have a beautiful weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment and your visit.
      I love the birds too!
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  5. Yes, dear Eileen, I enjoyed your second Day of Holiday very much. There are many amazing scenes on the river with different Birds. Thank you for sharing this journey. And thank you for hosting too.

    Hugs by Heidrun

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Heidrun, for your critter link and comment.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  6. The bird with crab in its beak is a gorgeous shot. Love the coastal scenery

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Roentare, for your critter link and comment.
      I love the coastal scenery too, the beach is one of my happy places.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  7. Love the ponies and the beak of Surf Scoter is so colorful. Amazing!

    -Soma

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Soma, for your critter link and comment.
      The ponies are a treat to see!
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  8. Hari Om
    Always enjoy your getaway shots, Eileen! Am glad to have a decent signal for commenting today... thank you for your support of me and The Grey as we traverse our own 'backyard' 🤗 YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you YAM, for your comment and your visit.
      Enjoy your travels, I hope you are taking lots of photos.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  9. Que maravilhosas fotos e que belos momentos conseguiste. Adorei ver até o carangueijo na boca do pato. Tudo muito lindo e bem mostrado e registrado!
    Ótimo fim de semana! beijos, chica

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Chica, for your comment and your visit.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  10. Hello Eileen,
    The sunrise, the sky, the birds and the ponies are all so beautiful! Thank you for sharing.
    Take care, and enjoy your weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Marit, for your comment and your visit.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  11. Hello Eileen,
    Great series of photos and collages from your vacation to Ocean City.
    You were able to photograph a beautiful sunrise.
    The Loon with crab and the Surf Scoter are my favorite, so photos six and eight.
    I wish you a good weekend.
    Greetings Irma

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Irma for your critter link and comment.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  12. Replies
    1. Thank you William, for your comment and your visit.
      I always enjoy seeing the herons.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  13. love the beaches, love the horses! that heron is adorable with his ruffled feathers, looks like he found a place to rest while the wind blows. LOVE best of all the crab in the beak shot

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sandra, for your comment and your visit.
      I loved seeing that heron with his feathers blowing in the wind.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  14. Wonderful sunrise! The Heron looks funny, a bit exhausted?
    Interesting shot with the crab, looks rather dangerous. The Surf Scoter looks beautiful. Awwww, the beach! And the ponies...
    I just read an article about how clever horses are. Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Iris, for your critter link and comment.
      I assume the loon will break up the crab before swallowing.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  15. Great photos!
    Thanks for hosting!
    Have a blessed day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Lea, for your critter link and comment.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  16. Hello Eileen,
    Very nice pictures.
    Great to see that bridge. And nice shots of the beach with a wonderful sky.
    The shot of the Heron on 3 is so very well taken. Wonderful.

    Many greetings and a nice weekend,
    Marco

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Marco, for your comment and visit. Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  17. ...thanks Eileen for taking along to see these wonderful sights. Enjoy a wonderful week.

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

      Delete
  18. Good morning Eileen. These are most enjoyable to see...since I miss the beach a lot in winter somehow. Your camera shots are excellent, with closeups of so many birds! I'd never seen a Surf Scoter...and he's lovely! I want to say scooter in my mind, but it must just be scoter, I guess. Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Barbara, for your critter link and comment.
      I love the beach in the winter, it is a quiet time and there are more birds.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  19. That's a delightful place with wonderful wildlife, Eileen. The ponies are beautiful! Thanks for hosting and have a great new week. (Nick from MAP)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nick, for your critter link and comment.
      The horses are beautiful.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  20. Great shot of the loon with the crab. It’s always interesting to see action of this sort.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you David, for your critter link and comment.
      I was lucky capturing the Loon with the crab.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  21. Another epic trip. I shall have to look it up on the map. I have no idea where this is! My favourites are the ponies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jenn, for your critter link and comment.
      It is on the coast of Maryland, between Delaware and Virginia.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  22. Such a great selection of birds, Eileen! And who doesn’t love horses?

    Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Marie, for your comment and your visit.
      Yes, true everyone loves horses.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  23. This looks like a terrific getaway! That Great Blue looks like he'd been having a day! And what a wonderful photo of the loon with the crab -- a lucky shot or a long patient one! Happy week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jeanie, for your critter link and comment.
      I was lucky and the timing was perfect for capturing the loon with the crab.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  24. The Loon with the crab is so excellent photo and the Sanderlings. Thanks Eileen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Bob, for your critter link and comment.
      The Sanderlings are sweet, fun to watch them running around the beach.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  25. The ponies are so beautiful and such an unusual sight at a beach that they are worth the trip. Looks like a perfect getaway! Hugs, Diane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Diane, for your critter link and comment.
      The wild horses are fun to see at the beach, it is a perfect getaway.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  26. Must be a tough task for the loon to eat a crab!
    Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your critter link and comment.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  27. Always interesting photos of all your travels and hikes. What a beautiful area to explore. I especially love the Loon with crab photo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Yvonne, for your critter link and comment.
      It is a beautiful area to visit.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  28. You know your birds and you saw a great variety of them. That has to be the most bedraggled Great Blue Heron I have ever seen. I love the ponies, they are on my bucket list. I love the shadow selfie you snuck in there.
    Thank you for hosting!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Yogi, for your critter link and comment.
      It was a cold windy day, the heron did look ruffled. I hope you get to visit the ponies someday.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  29. Great shot of the loon eating the crab.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Red, for your critter link and comment.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  30. Great 'get away' photos ~ all excellent ~ my favorite is the ponies ~ hugs,

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

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Carol, for your link and comment. The ponies and the birds are highlights for me. Have a great weekend.

      Delete
  31. You saw so many birds, Eileen. I would love to see the Long-tailed Ducks. Great shot of the loon too. Thanks for hosting us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you RedPat, for your critter link and comment.
      The Loon is one of my favorites.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  32. Wonderful photos, Thank you so much for hosting.
    Happy Weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your critter link and comment.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  33. What a lovely post full of all sorts of critters! My particular favs are the Blue Heron with a rockin' hairstyle and the horses. Thank you for hosting and Have a Wonderful, Joyous Weekend :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your critter link and comment.
      The Heron was a great find, the wind was blowing and the poor bird looked cold.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  34. i have so many favorites today, perhaps the ponies were my favorite, but the wind blown heron was a very close second!! i did not see the long tailed ducks this winter, i usually see them in the inlet!! a few months back i shared a picture of a loon that was so similar, they must be good at showing off their catch of crabs. many thanks for hosting eileen...i hope you are out with your camera enjoying this warm weather today!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Debbie, for your critter link and comment.
      The Loon photo was pure luck. This area seems to always have the Long-tailed Ducks in the winter.
      Take care, have a great weekend.

      Delete
  35. How nice a getaway where you can enjoy with so much wildlife!
    Love the Surf scoters, with their prominent bill.
    Enjoy your weekend and thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Luisella, I appreciate your visit and comment. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  36. Wow that heron sure is windblown. What a great capture!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Karen! Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  37. I so love the wind-blown Great Blue Heron! That is a wonderful capture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Rose, it is nice to see you blogging. I appreciate the comment and visit. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  38. Loon with a crab could win a prize!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Linda, for your link and comment. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  39. Eileen - the loon with the crab is a super-special photo in a long list of special photos from you! I love that you make this space for all that God offers us in the beautiful world! Thanks for visiting my blog!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Angie, I appreciate the comment and visit. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  40. Beautiful photos Eileen, the longtailed ducks and the ponies are my favorite. Have a nice sunday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Caroline, for your link and comment. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  41. Hi Eileen, The wind-blown Great Blue Heron … wow, that bird has taken some pretty strong wind. 😊 Excellent timing on the Loon with crab. I always enjoy your trips to the Assateague Island. I find the horses fascinating. Have I mentioned your header lately? It is excellent. Thank you, as always, for sharing Saturday’s Critters. John

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you John! I appreciate your comment. The header photo is a photo of our neighborhood lake.
      I have always loved the Assateague ponies. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  42. One day we will be in Assateague at same time. I LOVE your picture of the loon with the crab

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Linda, I appreciate your comment. We do enjoy visiting Assateague a few times a year. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  43. Red-breasted Mergansers are beautiful and lovely ducks....

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Tanza, for you link and comment. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  44. Three more species of waterfowl we do not have in our area. The Scoter, the Long-Tail and the Brant. I love seeing the different species you have. You should travel to North Dakota in the spring and see all the species we have to offer in their full spring plumage!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for the comment. The sea ducks are fun to see here in the winter months. I would like to visit the parks in North and South Dakota, I have never been to that area of the US. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  45. Eileen, you captured the nice moment when the loon captured a crab! I love the photos of the beach and the ponies. Have a nice week!
    Yoko

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Yoko, I appreciate your critter link and comment. The ponies are always a treat to see. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  46. Thank you for sharing this fantastic post, dear blogfriend at
    MosaicMonday

    Have a wonderful week, hugs by Heidrun

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Heidrun, for hosting Mosaic Monday! Have a great week!

      Delete
  47. Love the loon with the crab. Good catch! Happy St. Patrick's Day. Have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the link and comment Missy! I was lucky with that Loon popping up with the crab.
      Take care, have a great day and happy week!

      Delete
  48. Such great captures of these critters. Love the wind blown heron and that loon with the crab! Cool!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ellen, for your comment and visit. Take care, have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  49. Hi Eileen, I always enjoy coming to your blog to see your birds and nature. I don't do a lot of bird photography - I really need a bigger lens, but I did manage a few encounters when we were travelling last year. I should do a post about them! Have a great week, happy birding.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jill, I appreciate your comment and visit I would like to see the birds from your travels. Take care, have a great week ahead.

      Delete
  50. I love that lighthouse and those inspiring quotes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sharon, for your link and comment.
      Take care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.

      Delete
  51. I loved this post Eileen! The loon having lunch was so good and the windblown GBH was lovely -- I've been hoping to get a picture of either a Heron or an Egret with those fluffy feathers for a long time -- I've seen them like that but keep missing the picture. And the ponies -- that's the one part of your post where we actually went during our RV journey years and I loved it and the ponies and the birds we did see. I wish we could travel up that way again now that I know about all the wonderful places you post about.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sallie, for your comment and visit. The ponies are a treat to see, always worth a visit. Take care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.

      Delete
  52. Replies
    1. Thank you for the visit and comment. Take care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.

      Delete
  53. Such an amazing getaway filled with beautiful sightings of birds and wildlife!
    The photos are stunning, especially the ones capturing the loon with the crab and the wind-blown Great Blue Heron.

    Hugs and blessings, Eileen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Veronica, I appreciate your comment and the link. It was a great getaway. Take care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.

      Delete
  54. A great series of photos Eileen. I particularly enjoyed the Great Blue Heron and the Loon catching the crab today, but all your photos are outstanding. The last time we were in Assateague, I only saw the ponies in the distance. I would love to go back and try again. I also liked the lighthouse on the headland shot in your Monday post. Thanks so much for Camera Critters Eileen, happy Tuesday and rest of the week to you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Denise, for your comment and visit. Assateague is one of my favorite places to visit, we try to go there twice a year. Take care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.

      Delete
  55. Grandes fotos . La garza y el samurejo pescando me gustan más Eileen.
    Buena semana.
    Un abrazo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you , for your comment and visit. Take care, enjoy your day and the week ahead.

      Delete
  56. Hello Eileen
    I hope the new week has started well for you.
    Great pictures from your trip away, it was especially lovely to see the Assateague Ponies, and the Loon catching the crab .

    My good wishes.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jan! I appreciate your visit and comment. I hope the rest of the week is great!

      Delete
  57. Hay una gran variedad de aves acuáticas, son muy bonitas y los ponis también. Feliz noche. Besos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Teresa, for visiting and for the comment. Take care, enjoy your day!

      Delete
  58. Hi Eileen...Beautiful set of pictures...Regards from Madrid

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Ana, for your comment. Take care, enjoy your day!

      Delete
  59. Happy, that your post is part again of
    MosaicMonday

    Many thanks and hugs by Heidrun

    ReplyDelete

Hello, thank you for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

BTW, Anonymous comments unless a name is included will not be published. Also, comments with links will be deleted.

Have a happy day, Eileen

Saturday's Critters # 541

  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 ...