Enjoying My Neighborhood

Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

Have you ever notice all the variety of life in your neighborhood and nearby habitats? Definition of Biodiversity: the variety of life in the world, or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. 

I live near a lake and forest, in which there is always something to see. If you have a small pond, river or your very own backyard habitat, the ecosystem is amazing. The threats to the ecosystem are many, a few are loss of habitat, over exploitation and the spread of non-native species. 

The first time I saw the Green Heron at our lake. It is great to see such a variety of birds at our lake.

Lesser Yellowlegs, I was confused since this bird's leg colors look like bright orange to me?

A couple of Solitary Sandpipers at our lake.

Below some shorebirds, the Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and a Solitary Sandpiper.

My mosiac from our walk on the local fire road lined with tall pine trees, next to the lake, some fall leaves and mushrooms, an Osprey in flight, our lake and a Belted Kingfisher across the lake.

A view of the sky and clouds, later the same day after our walk on the fire road. 

I am thankful to live in a state and neighborhood with such biodiversity. It is the variety of life,  I have only seen a small amount of species contained on earth. Biodiversity is important to people and the health of ecosystems. It is beautiful when you take in the wonder of it all. 

I am always thankful for your visits and your comments.

Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday


Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments. Have a happy day!

John Heinz NWR

  I am linking up with   Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

Lately I have been running a week or more behind in sharing photos from our weekend getaways or daytrips.. Last weekend hubby and I visited the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum.  It is located near Philadelphia Pennsylvania..  We arrived at the refuge before 9am and just in  time to join in on their free bird walk.. Below I am sharing some of the scenery from the wildlife refuge and some of the birds we saw during the bird walk.

 Above the male Wood Duck, possible female Common Yellowthroat and a Cooper's hawk.

A pretty male Wood Duck..

 We saw a lot of Great Egrets, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and the Great Blue Herons..

I like the row of Great Egrets  above with the Great Blue Herons.. Can you find two GB Herons?

At one end of the boardwalk a Sora had been seen around the time we were there, we did hear it call.  But, it stayed hidden in the reeds.   Also seen above some turtles, various ducks, a cute Marsh Wren and some wildflowers..I had a total of about 42 bird species seen & heard and some turtles..

This is not the greatest photo above, but it is the only photo I have that has both the Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs together.. I was happy being with the others in bird walk, it helps when our leader pointed out these two birds being seen together..

A view of the river and some of the flowers..It was nice to add another wildlife refuge to my list of NWR we have already visited.. I have a goal to visit as many of the USA National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges as possible.. I have another new NWR to do a post on from our trip to Colorado..the post is coming soon.

I hope everyone enjoyed our visit to the wildlife refuge and photos..

As always I thank you in advance for stopping by and for the nice comments.

I hope you can join in on our at  Mosaic Monday and   Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to Judith our new host of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  I wish everyone a happy week ahead!