Saturday's Critters #328

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!



Before the lock down in early March, we took trip to Ocean City Maryland. During our getaway we visited the Assateague Island National Seashore and the Assateague Md State Park. Hubby and I both have senior passes for both parks which is nice, we no longer have to make sure we have exact change. 

We walked the beaches, the boardwalk trails and drove around the park looking for birds and the Assateague ponies.  

The Maryland Assateague Island ponies are owned by the national park, they are kept separate from the Chincotegue Island Virginia ponies.  Around 150 ponies are owned by the Chincoteague Island Volunteer Fire Company in Chincoteague Island Virginia. Some of these ponies are auctioned off each year.

Below a few Killdeer, Northern Gannet over the ocean, bottom right are some of the Common Loons.

 The Common Loons seemed to be the most common bird seen from the beach.

 I was able to find a few Northern Gannets far out in the ocean, it is fun to watch them dive.

The Killdeer were seen and heard on the Assateague Island beach.

Traffic back up from the Assateague ponies crossing the street.

Thanks to all my visitors and for all the wonderful comments. I appreciate everyone who loves critters and has linked up their post.


Here is a list of my linky parties;


 





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

Killdeer

Happy Monday everyone!


I am sharing the cute Killdeer for this week's wild bird post. It is a medium sized plover. They are considered shore birds but can live far from the water. It is named after it's shrill wailing call.

The Killdeer have a brown back and wings with a white belly. Their bill is short, black and thick.
They have a round head and flesh colored legs. They forage for food in fields and mudflats, they eat insects.

They can nest on dry gravel with little or no vegetation around.

The Plovers are some of my favorite birds, these Killdeer's have the sweetest faces. You just have to love them, lol.   I hope you enjoyed my photos and post.


As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

My list of memes for today, I hope to see you there. Thanks to both of the host below.


Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes

Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Saturday's Critters #122

Saturday's Critters #122

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

I am sharing larger images and critters or birds  from the mosaics in my previous post. These birds were seen at the Great Dismal Swamp NWR in Virginia.

The Belted Kingfisher was seen along the wildlife drive in the refuge.

The Killdeer was seen right on the wildlife drive. They moved off as we drove closer.

It was a warm afternoon the the turtles were sunning themselves.

More turtles..we saw more as the day went on.

Turtles and their reflections were everywhere.

Not the best shot, but across the lake was a nest far right and I believe it an eagle on the far left tree.

Back on the hotel parking area the local pool swimming Mallard couple were out for a walk and a dip in the puddle. I hope you enjoyed my post. As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Great Dismal Swamp NWR

It's time to link up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences and Random 5 Friday and Friday's Hunt ...I hope you can join in on the fun and share your post with these fun memes.

My post is more on our Virginia Beach trip. On our first day in Virginia we stopped for a visit at the Great Dismal Swamp NWR near Suffolk Va. We drove the wildlife autotour, walked on a few of the trails enjoyed the scenery and wildlife.  The Great Dismal Swamp wildlife refuge was created in 1974 from a combined land purchased and with land donated to the government from the Nature Conservancy. The refuge encompasses over 112,000 acres. It is also considered one of the (IBA) Important Bird Areas.

For Friday's Hunt.  Thanks to Teresa for hosting Friday's Hunt.
1. Starts with P
2. Week's favorite
3.  In Motion

For Nancy's Random 5 Friday, my randoms are listed above the images.

1. Viewing wildlife and anything nature related is one of my simple Pleasures.

On the wildlife drive we saw many turtles out sunning themselves, a swallowtail butterfly, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Coots, Common Grackles, Killdeer, Belted Kingfisher.


2. Visiting and touring the national wildlife refuges is one of my favorite things to do. The scenery is usually pretty and we always see some kind of birds or wildlife.

A favorite photo...Pretty blue sky and lake, a fence and sky shot at the Lake Drummond at the Great Dismal Swamp NWR.

3. Lake Drummond is a freshwater lake located in the middle of the Great Dismal Swamp.

The photo below of the Coots "in motion" for Teresa's Friday Hunt prompt. The Coots have neat looking red eyes and white bills.

4. Hubby and I try to get our exercise walking outside and enjoying nature. This shot below has some fences for Tex's Good Fences meme.

We walked on some of this trail shown above, you can walk all the way to the same lake that we drove to on the autotour. Along the trail we saw and heard a lot of Yellow-rump Warblers, Pine Warblers and Woodpeckers.

A nice boardwalk thru the Great Dismal Swamp.

5. My addiction continues with taking photos of the moon.

Another Favorite photo, this was the moon as we left for Virginia on the morning of March 22nd.

Thank you so much for stopping by and for the nice comments.
To see more pretty skies, fences and fantastic photos from around the world please visit the memes below.   I wish everyone a happy day and weekend ahead..

Thanks to Theresa @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences.
Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.
Thank you to Nancy the host of Random 5 Friday
Thanks also to Teresa Friday's Hunt  

Saturday's Critters #86

Saturday's Critters #86

It's Saturday and it's time to share your critters.. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in on this week's critter party. And of course I always appreciate my blogging friends stopping by just for a visit and leaving a comment.

I am sharing some more critters from our visit to Cape May on July 6. Most of these images were taken while walking on the trail at the Cape May Point State Park.

I just fell in love with these cute Killdeer Chicks.

The Killdeer chicks were running in front of us as we walked on the trail in Cape May.

The American Oystercatcher is a cool bird and one of my favorites to see at the shore.  I hope you enjoyed my critters and post. As always thanks again for linking up, for the nice comments and for visiting my post. I wish everyone a happy weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks to Tex Theresa aka Tex, I was able to add this link up button and thanks to  Jennifer for creating my photo badge.





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To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Middle Creek WMA

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 


Wishing everyone a Happy Saint Patrick's Day!..and here is an Irish blessing for you!

Middle Creak Wildlife Management Area includes a 400 acre impoundment. It is a prime destination for the wildlife and for people who enjoy seeing wildlife..Hubby and I were surprised at the number of cars on the wildlife tour. It seems everyone knew the Snow Geese arrived.. The self -guided driving tour is open from March 1 to September 15.

Middle Creek WMA is nestled in the middle of farmland on the border of Lancaster county and Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. It was created as a waterfowl refuge for the Canada Geese flyway. The big attraction is seeing the Snow Geese are making their way back to their breeding grounds to the tundra of Northern Canada and Alaska.

If they feel threatened at times the flock of Snow Geese will lift off and make lots of noise..

We also saw some pretty Killdeer along with a group of Ring-bill Gulls..

More Tundra Swans coming in for a landing..It was easy to tell  the Tundra Swans apart from the Snow Geese.  The Tundra Swans are all white underneath and the Snow Geese have some black on their wings.

It is like being in a snow storm when the Snow Geese come swirling down from the sky. From the 1970's up to the present the Snow Geese numbers increased over the years along with the numbers of Tundra Swans.  It was reported this week as many as 60,000 Snow Geese were seen and close to 5000 Tundra Swans.. Definitely a cool sight to see and hear.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the Snow Geese and Tundra Swans..if you are in the area it is a great place to stop and see. I am ending my post with another cute Irish blessing and wish for you.

Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too
And a host of friends that never ends
each day your whole life through!



Thanks for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.
Join in on the fun and for more wonderful photos please visit  Mosaic Monday and more
 from  Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to our host: Mary our 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!

More Bosque Del Apache NWR

November 16, 2013

Linking up Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-b-birdin  
I hope you are joining in and posting your birds and critters.

Can you believe half of November is over already? Gee, the days are just flying by. Pretty soon it will be Thanksgiving, time to prefer for the big family Thanksgiving day dinner.

 Above are some of the birds we saw while visiting the Bosque Del Apache wildlife refuge: the large photo is the Sandhill Cranes, top right is the Roadrunner, Gambel's Quail, White-Crowned Sparrow, Bottom left is a Marsh Wren, Snow Geese, female Northern Harrier and a couple of Killdeer.

 Neat reflection of the Killdeer.

 A Sora not far from the boardwalk trail. The Sora is a small waterbird, breeds in marshy areas.

Pepe le Pew thankfully running away from us, as we headed back to our car.

 Cute bunny also seen near the boardwalk trail.

Female Northern Harrier showing off its owlish looking face. The male Harrier is grey and is called the Grey Ghost. I hope you enjoy my birds and critters from the Bosque del Apache wildlife refuge.

Thanks for stopping by and  I wish everyone a happy weekend.

 To see more beautiful photos and cute critters

please visit:  Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious hosts Misty Dawn of Camera Critters and to Anni of I'd Rather-B-birdin.

White Pelican & more

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

I have more birds from last weekend's visit to Blackwater NWR. Besides all the winter ducks at Blackwater we also saw a White Pelican. I have been told it is injured and has become a regular bird of Blackwater.

This was my first time seeing the White Pelican at Blackwater during previous trips we missed seeing them.

A Ring-necked Duck couple, as you can see the brownish looking female looks much different then the male.

I believe I have seen the Coots during all my visit to Blackwater NWR

On the way home we stopped for lunch at Kent Island a restaurant called THE NARROWS, great crab cakes here. On their parking I found this cute Killdeer.

Also from the restaurants parking lot I sighted this male Greater Scaup along with a couple of female Scaups. My field guide says the Great er Scaups have the rounded heads and the Lesser Scaup has a peaked crown on the rear of its head.

Two female Scaups, heads tucked and each with one eye peeping out. Thanks for stopping by to see my birds and I always appreciate your 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 Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday and thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes.
I wish everyone a happy week ahead and Happy Birding!

Killdeer

During our visit to the Outer Banks we stopped at the Currituck Lighthouse located in Corolla, NC. I just loved the nature trail and boardwalk on the grounds of the Lighthouse. It was at the end of this boardwalk that I saw these two Killdeer.  Usually I see them on farm land but this time the Killdeer were hanging out at the muddy area of some marshland near the trail. They are cute birds with their double breastband.

Currituck Sound

Currituck Lighthouse

This is my entry for Watery Wednesday  thanks to 2sweetnsaxy  and Outdoor Wednesday thanks to Susan for hosting this watery meme.

Thanks for stopping by and I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.