Throwback visit Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge

I have a list below of memes I am joining for this week, and to save time I am doing one post for all. They are all fun memes to participate in...I hope you can join in with the fun  and check out some of the participating posts. Special thanks to all the wonderful host and their memes, I hope you have some time to check them out.

My post is on Bear Lake Refuge but in the latest news the Oregon Malheur Wildlife Refuge  (Malheur was established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt) was taken over or held hostage by some local ranchers. I did not follow the whole ordeal, but I heard it ended in a gun battle with the government. I am glad the take over has ended, just a shame one person died. I feel these wildlife refuges and the national parks are for all Americans not just for a select few. Malheur has 320 bird species and is a mecca for birdwatchers. I hope Malheur will soon be safe for the bird watchers to return.

Going back in time with this post is a throwback visit to the Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge located in Utah. On the way to Yellowstone National Park we stopped at this wildlife refuge. The view of Bear Lake, the lake borders Utah and Idaho.  I am posting only a few photos I took from that visit, only so I can document our stop there. To check out more of my wildlife refuge visits just click on the NWR label on my side bar.

This wildlife refuge was where I saw my lifer the White-faced Ibis. There are 160 bird species seen at Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge.

Some of the refuge birds seen where the Black-necked Stilt, Tree Swallows, Mountain Bluebird, White-faced Ibis, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Western Meadowlark.

The water color is so pretty, a gorgeous blue.  I think often of all my visits to various wildlife refuges to see the birds and animals. These wildlife refuges were created to protect and manage wildlife habitat for the waterfowl and migratory birds. Have you visited one of our nation's National Wildlife Refuge system? If not I hope you find a wildlife refuge close by where you live and check it out. You can find one near you on the link above, just click on your state.

January has just flown by, wishing everyone a happy month of February!
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your visits and nice comments. Have a happy day and new week ahead!


As always thanks to the wonderful group of hosts listed below.

Thanks to Judith our  host of Mosaic Monday

Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes

Thanks to the hosting team of Our World Tuesday!

Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Western Bluebird

Western Bluebird

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

For this week's wildbird, I am sharing one of my lifers from Colorado.. The Western Bluebird..

 The adult males are a bright blue on top and on the throat. They have an orange breast and sides.  A brownish patch on the back and a gray belly..

 Immature & female Western bluebirds are a duller color.

 The Western Bluebird (male)  has a blue throat and the (female) has a gray throat.  This photo above the throat feathers looks like the have a tinge of blue.. Maybe it is a juvenile or the female?
 

For comparison...I included this male Eastern Bluebird above that shows the throat is all orange..I was excited to add the Western Bluebird to my lifer list.. So now I have seen all three Bluebirds in the USA. The Eastern Bluebird, Mountain Bluebird and the latest the Western Bluebird..

I hope you enjoyed my Western Bluebird post..  Thanks for stopping by my post and for all the nice comments.

Join in and post your birdies and to see more beautiful and wonderful bird photos please visit:
 Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Michelle's  Nature Notes.  Thanks to both of our hosts... Michelle for Nature Notes and our host Stewart of Wild Bird Wednesday.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Birding >>>Gettysburg

I am linking up to Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday

On Saturday,  hubby and I decided to brave the windy day and head up to Gettysburg, Pa. Besides being a National Military Park, I had heard it was a great place to do some birding. The auto tour covers a lot of fields perfect for bird sightings. Turned out not to be a great day for the birds we did watch a Kestrel for awhile and saw some Eastern Bluebirds and sparrows on the fields and fences. Also, Gettysburg has been known for owl sightings and red-headed woodies. Next time I decide to go I will avoid going on a windy day. I do have to say I was amazed at all the beautiful monuments and statues we saw while driving the auto tour.

 

One of my favorites (top left)  was a bronze Irish Wolfhound on the Irish Brigade monument. It symbolizes the loyalty shown for the Union cause by the brigade soldiers, most of whom were Irish immigrants or sons of immigrants to the United States. My great-great grandparents were Irish immigrants so I feel connected to the Irish Brigade Monument.

"An enduring light to guide us in unity and fellowship" "With firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right" Quote by Lincoln

Another favorite is the Eternal Light Peace Memorial. This memorial was dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt. The eternal flame at President Kennedy's grave at Arlington was the inspiration.

Eastern Bluebird

I thought this soldier was going come charging right out of the woods in front of my car. Luckily he stopped.

Lots of great old houses and barns added to the scenes of Gettysburg.

 

The monument above of an oak tree trunk with various items hanging on it like a knapsack, cartridge box, corp insignia, shield and rifle also the cannon ball on the top and a bird nest with a mother bird and babies. There is a story that during the battle of Gettysburg a soldier saw the nest fall out of the tree, the soldier climbed the tree and replaced the nest with the baby robins still alive inside. Nice story!

Have a seat and have your photo taken with President Lincoln.

A little bit of history the battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1-3 , 1863. This battle had the largest amount of casualties in the American Civil War and is described as the war's turning point. In November, 1863 President Lincoln held a dedication ceremony for the Gettysburg National Cemetery to honor the fallen soldiers and redefine the purpose of the war in his historic Gettysburg Address.

To see more wonderful mosaics and photos please visit with Mary @ Mosaic Monday  and Our World Tuesday

Thanks to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia and Sandy.  Also,  Thank you for stopping by to see my post. I wish everyone a great week ahead.

Birds, Blooms and Butterflies

Hello, I am linking my post up with Mosaic Monday and Ruby Tuesday. I hope everyone had a Happy Father's Day!


This is a link to my You tube video of my backyard bird sounds and the Hummer. If you turn the sound up loud you can hear the Great Blue herons juvies in their nest. The juvies get loud when the adult flies back to them with food.

These are some shots I took of the Bluebird taking a berry to feed its young in the nest and a couple shots of the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. The flowers are on my deck and the hummingbirds and the butterflies seem to love my blooms. I have some petunias and lantana in these photos.

Tiger Swallowtail

Black Swallowtail

I hope you enjoyed my birds, blooms and butterflies and to see more great mosaics and photos please visit Mary's Mosaic Monday  and the other well known Mary at Ruby Tuesday  Thanks to both Mary of the Little Red House and Mary of the Work of the Poet for hosting these two fun memes. Also, thanks for stopping by to visit me and I hope everyone has a fantastic week.

Backyard Birds and Blooms

Is it just me or are these weeks just flying by, I am linking up with Mary's Mosaic Monday and Mellow Yellow Monday.  I am lucky to even get on the internet today. Our power went off last night during a scary thunderstorm. Our electric came back on around 10am this morning and I got the internet back around 2pm. I was happy this morning to sit outside and watch my birds and check out all the flowers blooming.

                    Poppa Bluebird has been hanging around my weeping cherry tree. He looks very hot panting below.

Mooma Blue has been hanging her head out of the box, I think she is tryong to cool off too.

The Stella O'Doro lilies seem to be doing great this year. I have a big group of them growing near my blueberry bushes. I am sure the birds can not wait until the blueberries are ripe.

One of my crazy house wrens, they are very fussy birds.

I am pretty sure these are called Tiger Daylilies.

I hope you enjoy my mosaics and post and to see more great mosiacs and photos please visit Mosaic Monday and Mellow Yellow Monday..  Thanks to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday and to Drowsey Monkey for hosting the Mellow Yellow meme. Also, thanks of course for stopping by my blog for a visit. I hope everyone has a great week.

A few yardbirds

For this weeks Camera Critters I have a few of my yardbirds. Some are just passing thru and some are here nesting.

The bluebirds are one of my favorite yardbirds and probably the first bird that got me interested in birding. Sometimes I can see them year round and sometimes they leave and come back to build their nest.

The Ruby Throated hummingbird look pretty funky.

The Indigo Bunting is one of my summer birds. Summer birds are breeders here in Maryland and have a nest nearby.

The American Goldfinches are here year round but the males turn a duller color in the winter. They look beautiful in the summer.

The female Rose Brested Grosbeak was just passing thru to her nesting habitat. She decided she needed a quick fix of bird seed to keep her going.

I hope you enjoyed my yardbirds and to see more wonderful critters please visit

Misty Dawn's Camera Critters.  Thanks to Misty for hosting and thank you for stopping by to see my post.

 I hope you all have a great weekend.

A few shots of my yardbirds

My Camera Critters post, click on link to go there. Thanks to Misty Dawn for hosting this fun critter meme.

and my entry for
Bird Photography Weekly  click on my link to see more great Bird Photography

It has been cool lately seeing all the action at the birdhouses and seeing the juvies in my yard. Yesterday evening I was out in my yard checking on my plants when three juvie Mockingbirds landed on my fence.  I was able to snap a few photos before they flew off into the treetops.

                                Juvie Mockingbird

So, I continued my walk around the yard when this crazy house wren looked at me like I was it's enemy. It started flying around me acting crazy. Finally it went back into it's birdhouse. I'm sure this is the same wren I have seen my bluebirds dive bombing.

                                     Crazy House Wren

Poppa Blue is very protective of his mate and feeders. I have seen him chasing squirrels, chipmunks and other birds from my feeders and deck.

This is my post for The Friday Ark , thanks for stopping by.

Bluebirds

  Bluebirds are one of my favorite yardbirds. This couple seems to be on their second nest and has found another house in my yard to use for their home. The male is such a pretty blue and seems to take great care of the female.

This is my mosaic for Mary's Mosaic Monday  Thank you Mary for hosting this fun meme.

And my post for  Blue Monday

Thank you Smiling Sally for hosting Blue Monday.

And thanks or stopping by to see my post and mosaic.

Eastern Bluebirds Mosaic

I have been lucky to have a pair of Eastern bluebirds nest in my birdhouse every summer for the last couple of years. I have made my mosaic of my Bluebird couple and some of their young juvies. The Bluebirds are one of my favorite birds, they are so pretty. I hope you enjoy!


Please click for  larger viewing

Here are a few single photos of my Bluebirds.

The proud daddy

Momma and Poppa

Daddy and a juvie

Also you can see more nature photos at Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

To see more great mosaics visit Mary at Mosaic Monday at Little Red House

Thanks to Mary for hosting and to you for stopping by my blog.

My yardbirds...Past and Present

I can truly say I am addicted to birds and birding. I am always looking out my windows while at home. I can not pass a window without looking for the birds. You never know when there might be a new yardbird. My last new yardbird were a pair of Cedar Waxwings. WOW, they are beautiful birds.
















Seeing the Rose Breasted Grosbeak in my yard for the first time was the bird that started me into the world of birding. It is a gorgeous bird.















With the help of my wonderful husband we have landscaped the yard with the birds in mind. Hubby did all the work I mainly picked out the flowers and bushes that would attract wildlife to our yard. It has worked and now I am enjoying all the birds and wildlife that visit. We planted berry bushes to attract more birds. I picked out Holly bushes, Blueberry bushes, Winterberry and some Blackberries. We also have some wild berries growing in the yard too. I do not think my yardbirds will go hungry.




The Eastern Bluebirds that nest in my yard are just one of my favorite yardbirds. Other favorites and regular visitors are the Carolina Wrens, Tufted Titmouse, Nuthatches, Downy woodpeckers and RedBellied woodpeckers. The American Goldfinches and the Northern Cardinals add some wonderful color to my yard.



























The Ruby Throated Hummingbirds this time of year are fun to watch. I have a male who sits throne over his kingdom. He will chase away any other hummer even a goldfinch if they go near HIS feeders. He can come within inches of my face when he zooms around my deck.




























There are some birds I only see in the winter months. The Red Breasted Nuthatch is really cute and I love watching it come to my feeders.











For the last couple of years I have had a beautiful male Pine Warbler at my feeders. His bright yellow color in the winter puts a smile on my face. I loved watching the Pine Warbler and consider myself lucky to have this bird visit my yard.
Some other winter birds include the Junco and the White Throated Sparrow.
















This past winter I was treated to large flocks of Pine Siskins. They took over my feeders and cleaned out my thistle seed feeders.