Hashawha Nature Center

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday .

July 7, 2013

On the morning of July 4, hubby and I went on a hike at a local park called Hashawha Nature Center. We try to take our walks early in the morning to avoid the hot & humid afternoon. We took the longer loop trail which goes by several ponds, an old homestead, pine forest, trail lined with daylilies and the Raptor Center.

Some of my other posts on Hashawha Nature Center

This trail leads to the Raptor Center. I loved passing along all these pretty daylilies.

I usually do not like taking photos of the caged birds but, they do have a nice raptor center with a Bald Eagle, Barred Owls, Great Horned Owls, Screech Owl and a vulture. Of course they are injured in some way and can not be released into the wild. 

I loved seeing all the different dragonflies around the lake. 

I believe this is an Amberwing dragonfly. The amber color on this one is beautiful.

Another pond we passed, we saw lots of mushrooms and these pretty bee balm flowers.

The Robin was enjoying these berries!

The Gray Catbird and Robins seemed to be the birds of the day. It was nice to have a day off work, for us it was an extra day to be out walking and enjoying nature.


I hope you enjoyed my walk, post and photos. 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!

SWF>>>Walking the fireroad

It is time for my favorites memes Skywatch Friday and  NF Winged.  Over the last couple of days I took some shots of the skies above my yard and a few birds from my local walk on the fireroad for NF Winged.

Our skies lately have ranged from blue to all gray.   One early morning started out looking like this.

 And by the time I walked up the fireroad

I looked up at these Eastern bluebirds in the tree, there was nothing but gray skies for a background. I thought Goldie Girl and I were going to be rained on so I decided to turn around and walk home rather than go further up to the clear cut area.

And here when I looked up again at the same tree I saw some American Robins. At first the rusty colored breast  kind of fooled me. But, the Robins are much bigger birds than the bluebirds.

I did see some pretty colors along the fireroad.

  I hope you enjoyed my walk and skies, I hope the sky is pretty where you are.


To see more beautiful photos and pretty skies please visit Skywatch Friday
and NF Winged

Thanks to Sylvia and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday! Thanks to Monica the host of NF Winged. Also, thank you for stopping by to see my post. I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.

More from Shenandoah Nat'l Park

I am linking up with Mosaic Monday , Green Day and Our World Tuesday

A few weeks back hubby and I took a daytrip to Shenandoah National Park and the Skyline Drive. These are some of the scenes we saw at the park and on the drive. My post below shows more of the Shenandoah-birds-and-critters

Above a Shenandoah Black bear,  a view of the Shenandoah valley, wildflowers, deer, horses on the trail, cabbage white, Towheee,  Blue-headed Vireo,  fawn and momma deer.
 We saw many birds and butterflies. Lots of deer and three different black bears along the Skyline Drive.

Above a heart shaped tree stump, wildflowers, Big Meadows, Red Admiral and a Robin

One of many deer, we saw along the Skyline Drive.

Robin collecting worms and bugs to take back to its nest.

The view from the Upper Hawksbill trail. It is the highest point of the Skyline Drive. Our first time doing this hike and it was well worth the hike for the beautiful view.


To see more wonderful mosaics please visit Mosaic Monday  lots of green at Green Day and to see photos from around the world Our World Tuesday.  Thanks to Mary the host of Mosaic Monday and to the host of Our World: Arija, Gattina, Lafy Fi, Sandy and Sylvia. Also, thanks for stopping by to see my post. I wish everyone a safe and Happy week ahead.

Bird bath

We had a rainy weekend and there were puddles everywhere. The birds didn't seem to mind the rain in fact they seem to love the puddles. My neighbors driveway had some good size puddles that the birds used for their bathing.

One time I looked out the Robin was enjoying its bath time in the puddle.

The next time I looked out my bluebird couple were out bathing in the same puddle.

This is Mrs Blue trying to dry out

                                 The catbird preferred to use our pond as a bath.

One of the waterlilies in our pond

My Goldie Girl prefers to swim in the nearby lake.

This is my Watery Wednesday post and to see more click on my link. Thanks for stopping by to see my post and thanks to 2sweetnsaxy for hosting Watery Wednesday