Saturday's Critters # 469

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 enjoy our little getaways, in this case on Nov 2nd-4th we visited one of my favorite places Chincoteague Island NWR in Virginia. We like going on these getaways at the last minute, just so we can pick the good weather days. The Chincoteague ponies are always a treat to see along with all the wild birds. 

Click on photos for better viewing!

1. Various photos from Chincoteague Island NWR, the Chincoteague Ponies, Merlin, Yellowlegs, Egret with ponies, Great Egret, Osprey, White Ibis, Assateague Lighthouse, Forster's Tern, Osprey, Sanderlings, Green-winged Teals, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Heron, sunrise

2. Great Egrets were seen in the same spot every day, one of their favorite fishing spots.

3. Merlin, this bird was seen from the trail to the pony overlook.

4. Various ducks, a good distance away for me to id them. A Bald Eagle did a fly by and caused a raucous. 

5. We found a few Yellowlegs off the wildlife drive. 

6.  After flying over the ducks that were hanging out, the Bald Eagle couple hung out on the ground for awhile. 

7.  Below one Great Blue Heron on the far left with a group of Cormorants, this was taken close to the sunset at Tom's Cove.. 

8.  A few Forster's Terns perched on the bridge leading into the wildlife refuge. 

9.  A Northern Flicker high in one of the tree tops off the trail. 

10.  An Osprey was seen each day almost in the same spot, maybe it was a good fishing spot. 

11. A Pied-billed Grebe was seen off the wildlife drive. 

I came home from 2 nights and 3 days in Chincoteague with over 500 photos and a few awful mosquito bites. These are some of my favorite birds, from the first day and half of the second day. 

12. My bonus photo is from Thanksgiving Day, my son, DIL and grandsons Wyatt and Mason came over for Thanksgiving dinner.

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 # 416

 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!

I am sharing a mish mash of photos from walks in my neighborhood, on the fire road to the lake and from our last visit to Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park. 

1. Our wildlife sightings for our day at Shenandoah, was one deer at the entrance station and one deer seen below walking across the Skyline Drive. 

2. Some scenes from Shenandoah and the Skyline Drive, the Limberlost Trail. 

3. Below seen at the Big Meadows, Shenandoah the Northern Harrier. They have a white rump patch which is noticeable in the photos below. 

4. At the Big Meadows we watched a Northern Harrier hunting. The Harriers are known to be expert mousers. 

5. Below images are from our fire road walk to our local lake,  the Canada Geese and two Pied-billed Grebes.

6. Looking across the lake, we noticed a larger group of Canada Geese.

7. A group fo Canada Geese were hanging out along the lake shore.

8.  I noticed on the far side of the lake was this wake from this Pied-billed Grebe. This bird was too far for a god photo, the Pied-billed Grebe has a short black banded bill, they are a warm brown color with dark eyes.

Take time to appreciate the beauty around you, the more beauty you will see!

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.

Here is my linky:

Thank you for taking the time to share your critters and post!

I am also linking up to Anni's blog party found here I'd Rather B Birding   Anni shares beautiful birds on her blog, check it out!

Saturday's Critters # 309

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!

I am sharing some of the birds and critters I saw on our North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway road trip. The next two photos are a couple of White-tailed Deer seen along the parkway. 

A Black Bear waiting to cross the road, I stopped and waited for him to cross safely.

Blue Ridge Parkway birds, Pied-billed Grebe at the lake, Pigeons on the waterfall cliff, White-breasted Nuthatch, Possibly Phoebe and bottom right corner a Carolina Chickadee.

The Green Anoles were seen at the Chimney Rocks State Park. 

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.

Saturday's Critters #286

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!

On the afternoon of the second day of our Finger Lakes NY trip  we drove to the Montezuma Nat'l Wildlife Refuge in Seneca Falls New York.  The wildlife refuge is located near the end of the Cayuga Lake.  We drove the 3.5 wildlife drive, seeing Purple Martins, Great Egrets, Canada Geese, Red-wing Blackbirds, Bald Eagle, Northern Shoveler duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Tern, Gadwall ducks, DC Cormorant, Song Sparrow, Mallards, unknown Sandpiper and lots of turtles.  

The Canada Geese were the most common bird seen at the wildlife refuge.  

There were a few Great Egrets in different areas of the refuge. 

I am guessing at this id, I think they are Gadwall ducks. 

We saw a few Great Blue Herons at the wildlife refuge. 

I think this is a juvenile Bald Eagle. I do not see the white head. 

Another guess at this bird, a Caspian Tern?  I appreciate any corrections on my id guesses. 

The Purple Martins were at two bird houses near the visitor center. 

The Pied-billed Grebe is a cutie. 

I really loved this Bald Eagle sculpture near the end of the wildlife drive. I think it can be seen off of Rt 90.

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.

Pied-billed Grebe

Happy Monday, I wish everyone a great day!

This week I am sharing the Pied-billed Grebe. I see them often lately, they were in Florida, Maryland and seen on my last visit to Pennsylvania. The Grebes are cute waterbirds. Often while trying to get a shot of them they will dive just as I want to take their photo.


The Pied-blled Grebe is also known as a Dabchick. Isn't Dabchick a cute name!

Small, stocky and short necked birds. They breed throughout the United States. they have a chicken like bill. In the summer their bill is enhanced with a small black band.

They feed on small fish and frogs. They dive for about 30 seconds, especially if they feel they are in danger besides looking for food.

I was surprised to see this large group of Pied-billed Grebe at the Lake Apopka wildlife drive in Florida.

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

Silver Springs State Park, Ocala Florida

Hello and happy Thursday!


Back in March, hubby and I visited the Silver Springs State Park near Ocala Florida. It was a beautiful day for a visit to the park and for a hike on the trails. The main entrance is where you can find the glass bottom boat ride, some trails and a boardwalk with Macaques monkeys running wild. We were surprised to see monkeys wild in Florida, we have seen them in Costa Rica and Panama.

A pretty sky and reflection, the clear waters at the Silver Springs State Park is very clear and colorful.

The birds seen at Silver Springs State Park, Little Blue Heron, Anhinga, Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck, Red-shouldered Hawk.

The Macaques monkeys seen on the boardwalk. I took a few photos of them but when they started moving towards hubby and I,  we decided it was best to leave. These monkeys have been in this park since the 1930's. Tour boat operator Captain Tooey released some monkeys on an island in the park  around the time of the filming of  a Tarzan movie film nearby.  The monkeys escaped the island and started breeding. It is said there are close to 200 monkeys in the park now.

The monkeys were running wild on the boardwalk, on the railing and they were in the trees above us.
There are warnings to stay a good distance from the monkey, they can bite.

There are different sections and entrances to this park on the same day we hiked on a trail that has views of the river. Some wildlflowers, egret, thrush, turtles lizards and the boardwalk.

Another look at the pretty sky.

"Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty."  John Ruskin



My list of thankful things:
I am thankful for good health.
I am thankful for pretty days and nice weather for our walks.
I am always thankful for nature I see.


I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.  Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments.
Have a happy day!

Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday