Patuxent River park, Jug Bay and Canada Geese in Maryland...That's My World

For more That's My world photos please click on my link. Thanks to the team of Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Louise.
Also, my first Motion Thurday post a little late or a little early see my last three photos on this post of the deer.

My hubby and I spent the day at the Patuxent River Park canoeing, hiking and doing the drive tour to the Wildlife Sanctuary. The Jug Bay Natural area is known for some of the best birding in Maryland. We rented a canoe from the Patuxent River Park and spent about an hour and half on the river. They also rent Kayaks. You can pick up a water trail map at the visitors center. Between the river and the sanctuary we must have seen hundreds of Canada Geese. They were in the sky and on the river, just about everywhere we looked.

We watched hundred of Seagulls on the river and a few Great Blue herons, two Eagles were circling above, Cormorants were flying low over the river,  a flock of green Winged Teals flying near the river. I was also able to watch a Northern Harrier flying low over the marshes. I did not take my camera in the canoe but it was a neat experience to see the birds from the canoe. To see a Great Blue Heron at this low level was cool. The Heron was staring at us while we were enjoying watching him or her.

At the end of the drive tour we saw hundred of Canada Geese landing at the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary. The corn and millet fields help to attract the Canada Geese, some are migrating and some stay thru the winter months.

Do you think Geese make music? I am not sure the sounds I hear coming from them would be called music.

I am not sure if the hundreds of Geese landing spooked these deer but five or six deer ran across the field and then across the road in front of our car.


Here is a link for Motion Thursday. To see more Motion photos click here: http://motionthursday.wordpress.com/



 

This was our second time canoeing this year and we have decided we both enjoy canoeing. The season may be over this year it was a little chilly on the river with the wind blowing. But we are already making plans for next spring to canoe on the Pocomoke River on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  I heard the Pokomoke in the spring is great for warbler sightings.

Pontoon boat ride on the Patuxent

These pictures are from my pontoon boat ride this morning. I went with my bird club to look for Sora's, Rails and other birds. The scenery here is wonderful, at least I think so. So I am including the first shot as my scenic Sunday photo.

 Pictures are clickable and to enjoy more GREAT photos from around the world click on my SCENIC SUNDAY link.

The flowers closeup.

The birding was great and here is a report of my birding at Jug bay Patuxent river. We saw Bald Eagles, Osprey, GB Herons, Great Egrets, Green Heron, Wood Ducks, Mallards, Lots of migrating Canda Geese, Belted Kingfisher, Redbellied Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Greater Yellowlegs, Ring billed gull, lots of Red-winged Blackbirds. The tide was too high to the see Sora's but we heard a few and we also heard the Virginai Rails. It was neat hearing the Sora's and Rails call back and tehy seemed to answer calls more to clapping then the actual bird sounds.

This GB Heron seemed to be having trouble swallowing whatever it was trying to eat. Close to this time was when I saw my first Merlin. So I did get one lifer today. I am not counting hearing the Sora and Rail as lifers.

One of the highlight of the trip for me was seeing three Hawks, we believe they were all Harrier's flying low over the river and marsh.

 

There were plenty of Wood Ducks, Blue-winged Teals and Green -winged Teals.

On the way back to the boat dock we went past a yard that had goats and it seemed funny to me to see a couple of Great Egrets not far away.

I want to thank the Scenic Sunday host for putting this Meme together for me and you to enjoy. And I thank everyone who stops by my blog.

Eastern Bluebirds back on shore.