Saturday, August 1, 2026

Saturday's Critters # 659

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!


"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir


Happy August everyone!  I have a mish-mash of photos from various dates in June. I am forever behind at least a month or so. 


Click on images for better viewing.



1. June 14th, the day starts off with listening to my yard birds from our deck. The Carolina Wren was singing loudly, out performing all other birds.















Hubby, Miney and I took our morning walk on the NCR trail at Bentley Springs. 



Merlin App was used on our NCR bike trail walk. Lots of great birds were heard.  








The Scarlet Tanager was heard and seen a  few times while on our walk at the NCR trail. 




The Bee Tree free library was a cute new addition seen off the bike trail, it says seeds and stories below. 





2. Sometimes I go out on my deck and listen for the real early morning birds, the time listed below has 6:24am. 




I put one of my photos of the Northern Parula, it is a breeder in my area. I hear them often on our walks.




On June 5th the Merlin App said my "bird of the day" was the White-breasted Nuthatch.  They are a year round bird in my area and a regular visitor to my feeder. 






3. The Fritillary Butterflies love the Lantana plant on our deck.







4. My walk with Miney on the local fire road.  






Hubby and I had an lunch-dinner combo meal at the Barn Resort and the Farmhouse Restaurant in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. Gettysburg is about an hours drive from home.  The large building used to be the Boyd's Bear store. The view of the field and trees from the resort window and some cute art work that was in the Ladies Restroom. 








I have been seeing 3-4 Hairy Woodpeckers at my feeders and they take turns with the Downy Woodpeckers and the Red-bellied Woodpeckers. 





Below I think are 2 Hairy Woodpeckers( one of the feeder and one on the pergola post) and 1 Downy Woodpecker on the railing. 




5. June 21st was Father's Day, my morning started off with a local walk with Miney at Prettyboy watershed.








6. Our walk to the lake with Hubby and Money, we saw more Slider Turtles and families of Canada Geese. One juvenile Bald Eagle flew by.  






After our local walk, we took a ride around the lake to look for wildlife and we stopped at the Prettyboy Dam. 




Prettyboy Dam and Bridge.









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.




Check out  Catblogosphere.com





Here is my linky:






Thank you for sharing your critters and post! 

126 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

The Scarlet Tanager is a stunner! Happy August, Eileen!

EricaSta said...

Good morning, dear Blogfriend Eileen! Another saturday and here I prefer the Red Tanager for my Favorit. What a beauty. Of course, each animal is beautiful...
...thank you for sharing and for hosting. Have a wonderful week ahead. Greetings by Heidrun ❤️

Cloudia said...

I love walking with you and Miney !

Rostrose said...

I'll be back, dear Eileen 🤗.

rainfield61 said...

The Carolina Wren sang loudly. My mobile phone vibrated.
My hand sang back.

Marit said...

Hello Eileen,
It's exciting to read about how many birds you've heard using the Merlin app. There are many different birds near you. The Lantana flower is so beautiful. You have so many different woodpeckers you see near you.
Take care, and have a great weekend!

Irma said...

Hello Eileen,
What a great series of photos from your walk.
The Scarlet Tanager and the Northern Parula are my favorites this time.
You really saw and heard a lot of birds again, judging by the Merlinbird App.
I wish you a very good weekend.
All the best, Irma

Linda's Relaxing Lair said...

Beautiful photos, Eileen. ❤️ And I love your header with Miney. Have a wonderful weekend. 😊

chica said...

Nada importa o atraso9 que dizes, pois valem as belas fotos que sempre nos mostras como as de hoje! Adorei!
beijos, feliz AGOSTO! chica

Violetta said...

Hello Eileen, you again made some nice walks with Miney leading you to nice places. I like the artwork in the restroom.
Have a good time and all the best
Violetta

Stefania said...

Buon agosto anche a te e grazie infinite per queste splendide immagini

Iris Flavia said...

That Carolina Wren sure gives EVERYTHING!
And being behind is good, means we get to see Summer-pics when the dark part of the year arrives.
The Scarlet Tanager is a stunning beauty - thank you for sharing, dear Eileen!
Clever idea with that library.
To a great new month full of books! And critters, of course...

Shiju Sugunan said...

Lovely post, Eileen! I love seeing your Merlin App finds.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Wow, that was an action-packed post today... but I think I pick the singing bird as my winner today! YAM xx

Alexandra said...

I envy you and your early morning deck symphony! I enjoy coming across little libraries. I have dropped off many books in one at a park that I frequent.

Jenn Jilks said...

Wow, Augaust! You find so many birds. Great fun.

rupam sarma said...

Helllo, Hope you are doing fine. So beautiful photos. Awesome birds. My favorite Scarlet Tanager. Glad to see Merlin app's Birds. Miney walk always fav. Thanks a lot for hosting. Greetings. Happy weekend.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Oh no! The big Boyd's bears closed? I was just looking at an old photo album of a trip we took and stopped there. It was the MOST fun and I'll never forget it. Boy....times change and it's sad sometimes. Love your sightings this week and I know you are happy to be living where you are. It's been SO HOT here in FL this summer. Sweet hugs for the fun day, Diane

William Kendall said...

Beautiful birds!

Rostrose said...

Dear Eileen, I'm trying to imagine how the air must be filled with birdsong where you are. The Carolina wren really looks like it's singing at the top of its lungs! And I'm sure the sound of most of the other birds was delightful, too. Some even gave you the chance to photograph them! I really love the idea of ​​the Bee Tree free library! Am I correct in understanding that they also give away flower seeds, not just books? (I'm familiar with book sharing here in Austria, but seeds are a fantastic and, in my opinion, innovative idea!)
Thank you for your nice comment!
Sending warm greetings to you and your family, and a cuddle to Miney.

All the best from Austria 🤗
Traude

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

I love Carolina Wrens. They are such tiny birds with huge voices. I love your other photos as well. The merlin app continues to be an eye opener to me helping me realize just how diverse our bird populations are.

Tom said...

...the Northern Parula is new to me and stood out! Eileem, thanks hosting and sharing all of your lovely photos. Take care and be well.

The Florida Furkids said...

Thanks for taking us along. The Scarlet Tanager is stunning!

John's Island said...

What a lovely collection of June memories, Eileen! Your walks with hubby and Miney always seem filled with wonderful sights and sounds. I especially enjoyed the beautiful variety of birds, the butterflies on the lantana, and the charming “Seeds and Stories” library. The turtles, Canada Geese, and passing Bald Eagle made your lake visit extra special. Thank you for taking us along on another delightful outing! PS Thank you for your comments on my blog. By the way, I am trying to recall … Don’t you have relatives who live in the Seattle area? Today is the beginning of our annual event “SeaFair”. There are parades and speed boat races on Lake Union and the Blue Angels are flying around. There is one unusual thing: The weather person says we may have rain today. If so, it will be the first time Seattle has had rain on August 1 in 40 years! 😊 As always, thank you for Saturday’s Critters and happy days ahead to you and hubby. John

Melbourne Australia Photos said...

A beautiful post, Eileen. I love that scarlet tanager! Thanks for hosting and have a great new week!

Barbara Rogers said...

How did you end up being the woodpecker feeder in the neighborhood? So great to see so many. I like the arty photos of the light coming under the bridge at the dam.

an artist reflects said...

Eileen ~ You have an excellent blog and provide wonderful bird photos and info ~ Miney is my favorite, though ~ Hugs to you and your family ~ ^_^ ~ an artist reflects ~ Carol McK and Ziggy

italiafinlandia said...

A lovely collection of critters you are sharing also today. My favorite is the Carolina wren singing out loud. So cute! The Scarlet tanager is awesome too.
Happy weekend to you and happy walks!

Linda said...

Late for me to join this week, I've been out in the garden tending the bird feeders and doing some much needed trimming. The house wren visits us too,, sings constantly. Even after his first brood has left the nest he is looking at new birdhouses in the garden. Have a lovely week.

RedPat said...

The Scarlet tanager is wonderful, Eileen. You hear so many birds.

Marco Luijken said...

Hello Eileen,
Nice pictures. Anmmazing to see all these wonderful birds. And so nice that small library.
Human here will do the same. It's very cute and sweet to do and to share this with other people.

Many greetings,
Marco

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Hi Eileen
Happy August! Your walking path is so beautiful! Many of my Colorado trails are tree less which cuts down on both birds and shade. I love coming upon Little Freee Libraries! This one is so charming. I often leave books I've finished reading in them for someone else to enjoy.

The Rev. Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

That is some nice artwork in the ladies room. I have woodpeckers that come hangout in my trees, but not any of those cute white-breasted Nuthatch. Blessings!

ellen b. said...

Sweet photos of your backyard birds. Happy August to you and yours!

HappyK said...

Love to see the birds. The bluebird is one of my favorites, Wrens are such cute little things.

Breathtaking said...

Hello Eileen.:)
What a cute photo of the Carolina Wren, singing joyously, and stunning photographs of the beautiful Scarlet Tanager and the the Northern Parula.The prolific bird song you hear must make your heart sing too. Love the idea of the library with free seeds and books,. and as ever it's nice to see both you and hubby with Miney on your walks.
All the best Eileen and thank you for hosting.
Sonjia.

Red said...

You could sit in your chair and watch birds go by all day.

Brian's Home Blog said...

Such beautiful birds and that little wren is so cute!

pilch92 said...

All wonderful photos, especially the wren singing. XO

Lydia C. Lee said...

I love that the street library has seeds as well. What a wonderful idea. I am taking great delight in filling my street library and seeing what people take from it...

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Eileen I love the Scarlet Tanager and the butterfly Great shots all round. Thanks for hosting and commenting on my blog. I hope you and your husband have a great week ahead.

gluten Free A_Z Blog said...

Wonderful photos. I especially like the Fritillary Butterfly. I don't think I've seen one like it.

Life Images by Jill, West Australia said...

You have the most gorgeous array of birds. What a joy. The Scarlet Tanager is definetly a show-off! I love the cute free library (you see them occasionally here too), and the restroom art. Have a great week ahead and thankyou again for the linkup.

Linda said...

Lovely photos! Thank you for sharing your adventures.

Handmade in Israel said...

I love the bird in your first shot – it really looks as though it's singing its heart out! Seeds and Stories is such a wonderful idea.

Erin the Cat Princess said...

You do take such lovely pictures of the wildlife. And all those birds listed in your app. How wonderful to be able see and hear and read about them all.
Such blessings to have nature all around and get to go amidst it all safely.
That looked a delightful meal location. Going somewhere special like that brings so many pluses to the day.
Have a wonderful week.
ERin

eileeninmd said...

Happy August Angie! Thank you for your comment and your visit. Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Heidrun, for your link and your comment.
The Scarlet Tanager is a beauty.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Cloudia, for your link and your comment.
I appreciate you tagging along.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thanks so much Traude! Have a great day!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Rainfield, for your comment and your visit.
That little wren is very loud.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Marit, for your link and your comment.
The Lantana plant is one of my favorites.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Irma, for your link and your comment.
The Tanager and the Parula are two of my favorites too.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Linda, for your link and your comment.
Miney is the star of my blog now.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Chica, for the kind words. I appreciate your visits.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Violetta, for your link and your comment.
Miney enjoys her walks.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

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

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Iris, for your link and your comment.
The Tanager is a beauty! Happy August to you!
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Shiju, for your link and your comment.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you YAM, for your comment and your visit.
The wren is one of the loudest birds in my yard.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Alexandra, for your link and your comment.
I like finding the little free libraries, they are a great idea.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Jenn, for your link and your comment.
Happy August to you!
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your link and your comment.
The Tanager is a beauty, my favorite too.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Diane, for your link and your comment.
Yes, it was sad that the Boyd's Bear closed, I am glad they found a new use for the building. It has been hot and humid here too, feels like Florida in Maryland.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you William for your comment and your visit.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Traude, for your link and your comment.
For a little bird the wren is very loud.
Yes, it is nice that the free library is always trading seeds.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Yogi, for your link and your comment.
It is surprising the little wren can sing so loud.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Tom, for your link and your comment.
The Parula is another beauty!
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

Linda G said...

The Scarlet Tangier is brilliant, so bright and colorful!

messymimi said...

Thank you. Every week it's a joy to "take a walk with you."

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your link and your comment.
Yes, the Tanager is a beauty!
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you John, for your link and your comment.
We have lots of nature surrounding our home, I feel blessed.
My hubby's sister used to live in Bainbridge Island but they moved to Florida.
We really need more rain around us, it seems to skip over us or around us.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Nick, for your link and your comment.
The Scarlet Tanager is very popular and a beauty.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Barb, for your link and your comment.
Since we are surrounded by the forest we do see lots of woodpeckers. They are all welcome in my yard.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Carol, for your link and your comment.
Miney says thanks and hello too.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Luisella, for your comment and your visit.
I love seeing all the birds!
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Linda, for your link and your comment.
The Houses Wren here must have moved on, I think the Bluebirds did not like it being near their house.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you RedPat, for your link and your comment.
I also love the Scarlet Tanager.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Marco, for your comment and your visit.
It is nice to share your books!
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Pat, for your link and your comment.
I do love my shaded trail, it is across from our house and is an easy walk. The little free libraries are such a great idea.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Arnoldo, for your link and your comment.
I love all my birds, they are a treat to see.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Ellen, for your comment and your visit.
Happy August to you!
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Karen, for your comment and your visit.
The Bluebirds are one of my many favorite birds.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your link and comment.
It is a joy to hear any bird singing, the wrens sound happy.
The free book and seed library is a great idea.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Red, for your comment and your visit.
Yes, I am happy to sit and listen to my birds.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your link and your comment.
The wrens are cute birds.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

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

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Lydia, for your link and your comment.
The free little libraries are great idea, cool to share books and seeds. Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Margaret, for your link and your comment.
The Scarlet Tanager is a beautiful bird.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Judee, for your your comment and your visit.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Jill, for your link and your comment.
The Tanager is a beauty!
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Linda, for your link and your comment.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Lisa, for your comment and your visit.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your comment and your visit.
We are blessed to be surrounded by nature.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Linda, for your comment and your visit.
The Tanager is one of my favorite birds, so pretty.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

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

Eastside Cats said...

Okay, now you've convinced me to get the Merlin app on my phone!

Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty said...

Such lovely pics again!

Villrose said...

What a beautiful red bird!
/Irene

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your link and your comment.
The Scarlet Tanager is a beautiful bird.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

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

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for your comment and your visit.
I do love using the Merlin App.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

Bill said...

Beautiful photos of all the critters. I love the Carolina Wren, it looks like she is signing her heart out to whoever is around.

Mary Kirkland said...

I love your bird pictures. So many different birds. I see the same 4-5 kinds of birds here. I never see anything like these.

Michelle said...

I like the Scarlet Tanager. I always enjoy seeing the photos of your walk with Miney.

Veronica Lee said...

Happy August, Eileen! Your walks with Miney always sound so full of life--birds, butterflies, even turtles and an eagle! The Scarlet Tanager is a real showstopper, but I think the cheerful wren wins my heart this time. Thanks for letting us tag along!

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Bill, for your comment and your visit.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Mary, for your comment and your visit.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Michelle, for your comment and your visit.
I enjoy my walks with Miney. The Scarlet Tanager is a beauty.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Veronica, for your link and your comment.
The Tanager is a favorite.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

EricaSta said...

Walking with you and Minnie is always a pleasure. Thank you for sharing at MosaicMonday and your nice comment.
By way, I answered to your question: My motorbike days are behind me now. The joy of riding scooters or heavy machines, like our Honda Gold Wing with its 1,800 cubic centimetres (!), remains... with a tear in my eye.

Thanks for the lovely chat.

Basil and The B Team ~ BionicBasil ® said...

We loved todays tour, so much fun, so much to see, and so much to learn! Thank mew for sharing your epic adventures!!! 😻🐾✨🐾😻

Sharon Wagner said...

What a simple but effective quote: Inhale peace, exhale stress...

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Eileen
Wonderful sightings.
That Scarlet Tanager looks amazing and you've photographed the Carolina Wren singing perfectly, I can almost hear it :)

Happy August Wishes.

All the best Jan

DeniseinVA said...

Thank you for another wonderful series of photos Eileen. Looks like you all have a lot of fun on these trails. Thank you and enjoy your week.

diane b said...

You have so many many birds in your area.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for hosting Mosaic Monday! Take care , have a happy day!

eileeninmd said...

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

eileeninmd said...

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

eileeninmd said...

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

eileeninmd said...

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

eileeninmd said...

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

Hena Tayeb said...

You spotted so many wonderful birds. The scarlet tanager is so vibrant.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for the comment and visit. Take care, enjoy your day!

Teresa said...

Tus paseos son preciosos como siempre, me encanta pasear contigo. Un abrazo y feliz día.

eileeninmd said...

Thank you Teresa, for coming along on my walks.
I appreciate your comment and visit.
Take care, Happy Friday! Have a great weekend.

Happy Monday!

   Wishing everyone a great day and a happy new week! "Peace begins with a smile." Mother Teresa Mirror Lake, MT Hood, Oregon ...