Saturday's Critters # 546

 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 short break from our Arizona trip and photos. I have some birds from my yard and neighborhood.

1. Some of my daily yard birds, the Northern Mockingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, White-throated Sparrow and the Blue Jays. 

2. The next five mosaics are from our walk on the C&O Canal trail and at Great Falls NP in Potomac Maryland. 

Some blooms off the C&O canal trail,  a Yellow-rumped Warbler, a Mallard on the trail, a distant look at some Terns flying over the river. 

More from the C&O Canal trail , American Goldfinch, Hooded Merganser, Carolina Wren, Louisiana Waterthrush.

The Slider turtles were plentiful in the canal off the C&O trail. 

Lots of wildflowers seen off the C&O trail at Great Falls and a cute doggie.

3. Back in my yard, the Carolina Chickadee took up residence in one of our birdhouses.  

4. A morning walk to our local lake, Prettyboy reservoir. We saw the usual birds, the Canada Geese, Double-crested Cormorants, Eastern Bluebird and some first of the spring wildflowers. 

5. Our walk at the Hashawha Nature Center, we saw some spring flowers blooming, an Eastern Bluebird, Canada geese with the goslings, not sure if the bird third down on the left is a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Gray Catbird, Red-winged Blackbird, geese family on trail.

6.  These are photos from another morning walk on our local fire road, the Pink Lady Slippers are starting to bloom and the Big Leaf Magnolias are blooming, there were the White Dogwood trees blooming, I captured the bottom of a Baltimore Oriole high in the tree top, we also saw some wild pink Azalea blooming and a view of the lake from the trail.

On the same day May 3rd, we saw the Black Bear right off our local fire road. It was not far from my neighbors yard. I think it was the same bear that knocked over our trash can on our deck and bent a shepherds hook pole and tore apart my hummingbird feeder. 

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.

Here is my linky:

Thank you for sharing your critters and post!

Saturday's Critters # 495

 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 trip and photos. More of Ireland will be shared again soon. Today I am sharing some photos from our walk on the C&O Canal trail in Potomac Md and at the Great Falls Nat'l Park.  

1. In the mosaic below are the Prothonotary Warbler, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Eastern Bluebird, wildflowers, turtles, Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorants, Mallards and Blue-winged Teal.

2. The Prothonotary Warbler, is about 5 1.2 inches, he was singing loudly and heard way before I was able to find him in the tree top. This bird nest in trees and there are nest boxes set up along the canal trail.  

3. The male Prothonotary Warbler is a bright yellow with dark wings. 

4. The Green Heron is seen every year in about the same spot close to the Riley's Lock parking area. 

5. The Green Heron, one of my favorites. The breeding adult has a rust colored neck, a dark cap and a green back. 

6. The Slider Turtles are enjoying the sunshine, resting on the rocks. 

7. The Black-crowned Night Heron was seen on the canal side of the C&O canal trail.  

8. The Great-Blue Herons have a rookery in the trees that line the Potomac River.  

9. The Double-crested Cormorants nest along the river, a group of Cormorants is called a "gulp".  

10. We saw at least 4-5 Blue-winged teal on the river. 

11. A view from the Great Falls overlook. 

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. 

Saturday's Critters # 398

 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!

Hubby and I have recently visited the Great Falls National Park near Potomac Md. We make it a day trip, stopping at a local French bakery for a sandwich for our little picnic. We also stop at Riley's Lock and walk along the C&O Canal trail.  

1. Below are photos of the Potomac River @ Great Falls NP, the C&O Canal trail @ Great Falls, Great Blue Heron, Canal Lock, Canal, Mallard, Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures. 

2. A view of the C&O Canal and the trail.  

3. There is a Great Blue Heron rookery or is it called a heronry, so there are plenty of Herons to see at the Great Falls @ Potomac River. 

4. A mix of Black Vulture are seen with their Black Head and the Turkeys Vultures have the red heads. 

5. I always enjoy seeing the Great Blue Herons, they pose so nicely for me and my camera.  

6. Below are some of the scenes and wildlife we saw along the C&O Canal trail at Riley's Lock.  A group of Wood Ducks, a Common Whitetail Skimmer, more Wood Ducks, Great Blue Heron, Zebra Swallowtail butterfly, Prothonotary Warbler, Black-crowned Night Heron, Slider Turtles, Black-crowned Night Heron. 

7.  A few Slider Turtles hanging out with the Wood Ducks. 

8.  The Red-eared Slider Turtles are non-native but the Eastern Painted Turtle is a native turtle seen in Maryland.  Below the photo could be a mix of both of the native and non-native turtles. 

9. I usually see a Green Heron in this area, but on this day I saw the Black-crowned Night Herons. 

10. A Common Whitetail Skimmer above the pond and duck weed.

11. A closer look at the Wood Ducks. 

12. A Great Blue Heron was seen on the canal side hunting for food.

I hope you enjoyed our walk at the park and on the canal trail, the birds and wildlife are always great to see.  

I want to share my cute grandson, he is growing quickly almost 6months old. He has two bottom teeth now. I think this is the first time he tried a teething biscuit. 

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!

Here is my linky:

YOU are all # 1.

Thanks to all my visitors and for your comments. Stop back to see any replies to your comments. I appreciate everyone who loves critters and has linked up their critter post. 

Our World, My World

Happy Monday!

 Can you believe it is October already?  The days are flying by, much too quickly. Hubby and I continue to stay active, as much as we can. Walking and birding on the good weather days.  On this day we drove to Potomac Maryland to walk on the C & O Canal Trail. 

 

 We parked at Violette's Lock and walked just past Rileys' Lock on the canal trail.  First birds I saw after getting out of the car was the Great Blue Heron near the canal and there were lots of Double-crested Cormorants hanging around the Potomac River.

 

Cormorants at in the Potomac River.

 

 

 

It was a slider turtle day, the sun was shining and all the turtles were hanging out on rocks and tree stumps in the canal.

 

 

 

I can usually always find the Green Heron at the C & O Canal, this Green Heron was fishing/hunting for food while standing on a tree stump sticking out of the water.

 I thought I was going to go the whole summer/fall season without seeing a Green Heron.  I am glad these herons are seen along this trail.

 

 

 

More images of the Potomac River and the canal side of the trail. There is a Great Blue Heron rookery along the river, so quite a few  Herons can be seen all along the river's edge and at the canal.  I was not able to get a photo of the Bald Eagle flying over our heads. 

Just across the Potomac River is the state of Virginia, I believe the huge white building is part of a golf course country club?

 

 

 

Views of the C&O Canal trail, various wildflowers, turtles, Seneca Creek, lock keeper's house

 

 

We wanted to leave time to drive down River Road to the Great Falls NP and walk some more there.  I will share photos from the national park on my next post. 

 

We are hanging in there, happy and healthy.   I hope everyone is safe, happy and healthy. 


What's happening in your corner of the world? Please check out and visit the following memes and links. I hope to see you there.


 
Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Thanks for visiting and commenting, have a happy day and a great new week!

 

 

Saturday's Critters #292

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!


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 are some images from our walk on the C&O Canal trail located at Riley's Lock in Potomac Maryland. 

I can always find the Green Herons at this location. They are one of my favorite herons. 

We saw a lot of these Slider Turtles in the canal. They were sitting on piles of mud or trunks trunks sticking out the water.  

There were a lot of dragonflies flying around. 

A couple of Bald Eagles were seen and heard.  There must be a nest nearby. 

A second Green Heron seen along the trail.  I think their rusty neck and colors are beautiful. 

The Green Heron, one of the smallest herons. They can be hard to spot. They blend in well with their surroundings. 

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !







Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.