Warmer Weekend

Hello,

Happy Thursday everyone! On Saturday Jan 20th we enjoyed temps in the 50's. Yay, finally some warm weather to get outside for a walk. Hubby and I went to the local bike trail and stopped at the bridge and our lake for some photos. 

I parked on the side of the road before the bridge and stood on the bridge for these photos. I zoomed in to see the Canada Geese and some Ducks. 

If you click on this photo below you can see a couple of Ring-necked Ducks. 

And if you click on this photo, you can find the Hooded Merganser. 

Our lake and the bridge. It was a pretty sky day, lots of blue and some contrails from the jets.

Looking to the right side of the lake from the bridge. 

The circles were just below the bridge, they are strange circles in the ice. 

I took this hawk photo thru my car window coming back home from the bike trail. Possible Red-shouldered? 

Spending time bird watching and outdoors in nature makes me feel happy. What makes you feel happy?  Can you slow down the clock, while enjoying nature. It is less stressful. I hope you enjoyed my post and photos. 

I am thankful for temperatures in the 50's in January. 

I am thankful to enjoy the simple pleasures and nature scenes.

I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 

Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday

Again, thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day! 

Saturday's Critters #55

Saturday's Critters #55

Happy weekend everyone and Happy New Year! I am glad to see you sharing your critters.. Any kind of critter will do, even if you have an older post it will do.. I appreciate everyone who has linked up in the past and for those who are linking in on this week's critter party. And of course I always appreciate my blogging friends stopping by just for a visit..

Also, I hope you can check out the post at Anni's I'd-Rather-B-Birdin.  You should also check out Misty Dawn's Camera Critters.

These shots are from last weekend's walk at Loch Raven Reservoir..

A mixture of Canada Geese, Ringed-necked Ducks, Gadwall and possibly some other ducks..

Rows of Coots.. I was amazed at how many Coots there were, I could not fit them all in the photo..

This could be a Hairy woodpecker but I am not sure sometimes the angle and distance can throw off the size of the bird. To id you are supposed to look at the beak and head size..

An InLinkz Link-up

I wish everyone a happy & healthy New Year!

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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Again I thank you for linking up to the critter party. I also appreciate the visits, comments and the support of my blogging friends................... Have a happy weekend!
To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Please 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.

Loch Raven walk

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

January 12, 2014

Hubby and I went took our weekend walk  at the Loch Raven Reservoir. I picked this spot mainly because I knew there are usually a lot of different ducks in the winter. It was colder than I was expecting we it was a brisk walk and we did not hang around looking at the ducks for too long. It is nice that they close this road for the hiker, bikers and joggers on the weekends.

Hubby and Goldie Girl walking ahead as I was taking photos.

There are usually gulls hanging around the edge of the lake. I am pretty sure these are the Ring-billed Gulls.

Across the lake we could see a large group of Ring-necked Ducks with the Canada Geese.

A few distance shots and in the middle a closer view of the Ring-necked Ducks.

This grouping includes the Common Merganser, Canada Geese and top right are some Redhead Ducks and the bottom right shot includes a Hooded Merganser.

Above are the Redhead Ducks and my favorite Hooded Merganser. Also a Canada Goose and some Coots in the background. I was hoping for some warmer weather today, but it was only 40 degrees and the wind felt like it was in the 30's.



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!

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!

Sunday Morning Walk

 I am linking up with Simple Things Sunday and  Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday

 I was so happy to wake up this Sunday morning and finally see some blue sky and sunshine. Our weather lately has been mostly cloudy and raining. Since, working all week I enjoy getting outside on the weekend to take a walk with hubby and our dog. And to do a little bird watching is always a simple pleasure for me.

One of our favorite places to take an early morning walk this weekend was at the Loch Raven Reservoir.

On the weekend the road around the Loch Raven reservoir is closed to car traffic and open to people walking, biking and jogging.  We usually see families out with their young children on their little bikes. Today we took our Goldie Girl.

Sometimes I try to arrange our walks where a certain bird has been seen hanging out. This time I was looking for the Eurasian Wigeon. I did find a couple of American Wigeons which I have in the mosaic above. We also saw lots of Gulls, Canada Geese and Ring-necked Ducks.

 We watched one family with a cute toddler feeding the geese and gulls. The toddler seemed to be enjoying all the birds he was attracting with the bread.

A shot of the reservoir and a couple of Canada Geese giving me the eye.

The walk along the road is pretty with the tall pine trees and the reservoir.  I hope you enjoyed my Sunday morning walk. Thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the comments as well.


Join in on the fun and for more wonderful photos please visit Simple Things Sunday and to see beautiful mosaics please visit Mosaic Monday and more from  Our World Tuesday
 Thanks to our host:  Rebecca of Simple as That and Mary our host of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  Thanks also for stopping by to see my post.  I wish everyone a happy week!

Birding Loch Raven

I am linking up with  Green Day and Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-B-Birdin.

These photos are from last weekend, hubby and I took another walk at the Loch Raven Reservoir. Loch Raven seems to attract more ducks in the winter than the reservoir near my home.

Most of the ducks were across the lake on the opposite shore from where we stood. I can make out the Canada Geese, Common Mergansers, Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers and I am sure there are some ducks I could not id without having my scope.

Loch Raven is great place to visit on the weekends, since the road is closed and used for hiking, biking and jogging around the lake. The road is line with the tall green pine trees that you can see in the distance.

Above, hanging out on a small island we saw the Great Blue Heron, lots of gulls, and some Ringed-neck Ducks.

I was playing around with the setting on my camera and I thought it made the water look neat.

Look the ducks are swimming uphill.

Families with small children are often seen in this spot at the lake feeding the gulls, ducks and geese.

Almost home, we see the usual peacocks hanging out on the snowy field. Now, that not a usual sight for some to see.

A cropped photo for a closer look. These birds live on a farm around the corner from me and I see them often on my way home from work. A few times they have been on the road right near a curve, luckily they were safe while I had to brake for them. It seems our neighborhood has a few farms with these peacocks, I have passed signs along my road saying BIG BIRD crossing.


To see more beautiful photos and cute critters please visit:   Green Day and Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host Fiona of Green Day, Misty Dawn of Camera Critters and to Anni of I'd Rather-B-birdin.  Thanks for visiting my blog and post. I wish everyone a very safe and happy weekend.

Happy Birding in the New Year

I hope everyone has a very HAPPY and Healthy New Year!!

I am linking up to Mosaic Monday  and Our World Tuesday

Our January 1 2012 was a somewhat of a mild day and hubby and I had to get out and take a walk. Hubby and I both love to hike and being outside and enjoying nature. Some say they are ringing in the New Year but hubby and I did some birding in the New Year.  I started a new list of birds seen for 2012 and I got off to a great start with 25 birds. The day started with my first bird heard was the Barred Owl, I was standing outside at 5:30 am with my dog when I heard the owl.

The photos above are some of my backyard birds, the American Goldfinch, Carolina Chickadee and the Bluejay. 

The mosaic above I have some shots from Loch Raven Reservoir. Birds seen here were lots of Canada Geese, Mallard ducks, Ring-necked ducks, Buffleheads, lots of gulls and two eagles.

A closer look at the ring-necked ducks.

Loch Raven is one of three reservoirs that supply water for Baltimore City. On the weekends they close off part of the road around the reservoir so people can hike, bike and jog right on the road.  It seemed like a lot of people had the same idea as hubby and I and were out walking their dogs. Goldie Girl was a happy dog today.

I was able to take  a video of two eagles playing around over the reservoir.



I had a great day and I hope everyone else did something they really enjoy. I wish everyone all the best in 2012 and a very Happy New Year!!!!



Please visit Mary's Mosaic Monday and  Our World Tuesday.  Thanks to Mary the host of Mosaic Monday and thanks to the Hosting group of Our World. I will be looking forward to a new year of blogging and visiting everyone's blog. Thank you for visiting me and for the lovely comments.