Sandwich Tern

Happy Monday everyone!

Terns, Terns and more Terns. There are 15 various Terns listed in my field guide book for North America. But, on this post I am only sharing the Sandwich Tern. My first sighting of the Sandwich Tern was at Chincoteague. I was happy to see the Sandwich Tern again while In Florida near Daytona Beach. These photos were taken just south of Daytona Beach at the Ponce Inlet and Lighthouse Point Park.


You can't miss the Sandwich Tern with it's sharp black bill with a yellow tip. It is small to medium sized seabird and gull like in appearance. They have long pointed wings, grey above and white below. and legs are black.

They have a shaggy black crest. The Tern plunges and dives for their food.

Below two Sandwich Terns and bottom right I believe is the Royal Tern with the orange bill.

Just to show an assortment below is a gull, a few Royal Terns and one Sandwich Tern in the middle.

Closer look at the bill of the Royal Tern compared to the bill of the Sandwich Tern.

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

8th Blog Anniversary

Hello everyone,

This is my 8th Blog Anniversary. Those years just seem to have flown by. I have "met" so many wonderful people and traveled the world thru their blogs.   I appreciate and thank everyone who has visited and commented on my blog.

For my anniversary post, I am sharing some of my favorite blogs and blog parties. Some of these blogs I have been following since I started blogging. Blog parties like Skywatch Friday, I have always enjoyed I love skywatching, moon watching, sunrises and sunsets. This blog party has followers from around the world, I think it is awesome to see beautiful skies from all around the world. I have done 296 Skywatch posts since I started blogging.

I love to travel and have included many of our trips on my posts with nature scenes, wildlife, sunrises and sunsets have been shared. I hope you have enjoyed my photos.

A favorite sunrise photo from Florida

 If you click on the Skywatch Friday link above you will see so many more wonderful blogs and fantastic photos. I thank them for sharing their wonderful skies and images. Thanks also to the hosts of Skywatch    Lady Fi and Alan @ Yogi's Den,  



I am providing links to some of my favorite fellow skywatchers who share  amazing sky photos, I hope you can take some time to visit these blogs to see their awesome photography.

  Lady Fi    

Spare Parts and Pics

Carol @ Cape Ann

Cloudia

Irene

Here are  more of my favorite blog parties. Over the years I have done 281 Nature Notes posts .  Michelle is the host of Nature Notes  . Also another favorite linky party is Stewart's  Wild Bird Wednesday  .  I have done 224 Wild Bird Wednesday posts. 

and then there is Anni's party. She is the host of  I'd Rather be Birding. I have done 227 I'd Rather be Birding posts..

The past 8 years blogging I have shared images from around my yard, flowers, plants, birds and the butterflies.

Fritillary butterflies on our Bee Balm plant

These are a few of my favorite nature bloggers, photographers and a few birdwatchers and their blogs. It is cool to see birds from around the world right from my computer.

Jo from South Africa

Nora

Phil in the UK

Monica

Bob in the UK


I love seeing wild birds and most of my post over the years have been about the birds.

Sandwich Tern, Florida

I also wanted to share some other blogs I love to read and follow, they share their pets, gardens, hobbies and their fabulous photography. I have way too many favorites, I hope I do not slight anyone by not including them on my list. I could go on and on with my favorite blogs. You can find more links to my favorite bloggers on my sidebar list.

Mary shares her travels in their RV

Marit, a gardener and photographer

Karen, shares daily life, family quotes and photos

Tom, host of the Barn Collective, wonderful photographer

Sandra, shares her photography and is awesome with editing photos

Kim, rescues Golden Retrievers

Linda, a hiker and a fantastic photographer

Michelle host of Thankful Thursday

"We do not need more to be thankful for,  we just need to be more thankful."


My list of thankful things for this week

I am thankful for all the blogging friends I have "met" over the last 8 years of blogging.
I am thankful for all the visitors and comments on my blog.


Thanks so much for your visits and comments. I wish everyone a great day and weekend ahead.

South of Daytona Beach, Florida

Hello and happy Thursday!

Would you believe these images are from Jan 18th, that is where I left off sharing my Florida photos. On this weekend we went on an overnight to the Flagler Beach area and visited Daytona Beach the next day, we stopped at various beaches along the coast. Daytona is just a little further south down the road  and along the Atlantic coast. We like the uncrowded area of the Ponce De Leon lighthouse and the Lighthouse Point Park located at New Smyrna Beach Florida.

Terns and a gull. There is one Sandwich Tern in the group below. It has the black bill with a yellow tip.

Osprey with fish

Shadow shot of me and hubby!

An Egret was hanging near a fisherman on the jetty.

Surfers at Daytona Beach

A look back at the Pone De Leon Lighthouse from the jetty. I do not really like beaches that allow the cars to drive on them. I worry about the birds and their nests in the breeding season. Daytona allows  cars to drive on the beach.

For my list of thankful things this week:
I am thankful for pretty beaches. It was great to see so many Florida beaches are clean and do not have litter and trash thrown around.
I am thankful for the time we had sightseeing in Florida. I am also thankful my hubby and I share the love of nature and the outdoors.
As always, I am thankful for your visits and comments on my blog.





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

Chincoteague NWR lifers

 I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

For this weeks featured bird, I am sharing my Chincoteague NWR lifers.



September 24, 2013

We arrived in Chincoteague NWR around 9:30am and stayed for a day and a half. Awesome birds were seen and of course I was able to add a couple of lifers to my list.

 I am always excited to see the Black Skimmers, they are cool looking birds with their distinctive red and black bill. Pictured above are the Skimmers, Willets, Forster's Terns, Marbled Godwits and possibly my lifer the Bar-tailed Godwit. In this photo, I believe my Godwit lifer is in the top right hand corner standing next to a few Willets.  The Bar-tailed has a two toned bill..pink with a dark edge. The female Bar-tailed Godwit was found in Chincoteague back on August 3rd. I was happy that a Virginia birder pointed out the Bar-tailed Godwit, it is a very cool lifer for me.

The Marbled Godwit above seem to have a longer bill, also pink with the dark tip.

Not the best shot, but another image of the Bar-tailed Godwit located on the far left of the photo.

Above the Bar-tailed has it's wing stretched out.

Another one of my Chincoteague lifers is the Sandwich Tern.  This bird is easily id with the yellow tip on its black bill.

I hope you enjoyed birding with me at the Chincoteague NWR. If you are ever in the area I would highly suggest a visit.

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.

Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your nice comments. I always appreciate your visits.
I wish everyone a happy week ahead and Happy Birding!