Saturday's Critters # 581

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!

Click on images for better viewing.

On Dec 30th hubby and I enjoyed a good weather day and a walk at the North Point State Park. This park is on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Edgemere Maryland, Baltimore County Maryland. It is a great park for birdwatching, we walked on the fishing pier and on the Black Marsh trail.

1.  Various ducks can be seen on the bay, we saw a large group of Ruddy Ducks, a female Long-tailed Duck, the Snow Bunting and a few Song Sparrows. 

2. The male Ruddy Duck retains it's white cheek in the winter months. They have a stiff tail that is often raised.

3. I am pretty sure this is a female Long-tailed Duck. These ducks have a white head, tan face with a brown neck patch, a white body with dark wings. The juvenile can look similar to the winter female.

4.  A larger photo of the Long-tailed Duck.

5. In the winter months,  Snow Buntings have become annual visitors and can be seen on the long pier that goes out into the bay. 

6. Below the Snow Bunting was hanging out with a Song Sparrow.

The non-breeding male looks similar to the female. The male has more white on the wings. 

A view of the fishing pier that juts out into the Chesapeake Bay. The Snow Buntings are found at the very end of the pier.

7. We walked on the Black Marsh trail, looking for birds and any kind of wildlife.  I think we were the only people that were not walking a dog. Below images of the trail and wetlands, Gadwall, Northern Mockingbird, Slider Turtles, Mallards and a few Bald Eagles. 

8. It was one of our warmer December days, the Slider Turtles came out to sun themselves on the log. 

Bald Eagle in flight over the parking lot.

I am linking up to Heidrun's Mosaic Monday  I hope you can stop by and visit Heidrun and check out the Mosaic Monday 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:

Thank you for sharing your critters and post!

Happy Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday!


These are some images from the North Point State Park in Baltimore County, it is the spot where I saw my Snow Buntings that I previously posted about. Hubby and I enjoyed a brisk walk in the park after seeing the Snowy Buntings. The park is located on the Chesapeake Bay, the views are pretty.

A view of the Chesapeake Bay.

Below me and my shadow, I was happy and thankful to find the Snow Buntings so easily right at the end of this brick pier.

There were plenty of Song Sparrows sighted near the Snow Buntings. 

The lighting was not the best for iding ducks out in the bay, I am guessing these are Scaup.

Some of the Snow Buntings

Another look at the Chesapeake Bay, looking very smooth.

The North Point State Park has two parts, the piers by the bay and this Black Marsh Trail. 

A few Mallards were seen in the marsh area off the trail. 

The Eastern Towhee was seen in a tree along side the trail. I usually hear these birds singing before I can see them.  

A view of the marsh land. 

I was thankful to see the Snow Buntings during my visit to the park. Bird watching is one of my simple pleasures. 
A thankful heart is a happy heart. 
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday


Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

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

Saturday's Critters #266

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 photos of one of my favorite winter birds the Snow Bunting. I was lucky to see these birds at the local North Point State Park in Baltimore County Maryland. We watched them for a bit foraging on the ground, they looked cute once in awhile running quickly across the grass. They eat seeds and insects found on the ground. 

These birds breed in the Arctic, northernmost parts of Canada and Greenland. 

We saw five Snow Buntings on this day, they have been in this area for a few weeks. Some times as many as 10 or more being seen together.  

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.

Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

Assateague National Seashore

Happy Thursday,  I wish everyone a happy day!

I am sharing some photos from our visit to Delaware & Maryland shores. Ocean City and I have some photos from Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland. We made a few visits to the park during our trip to the beach. 

The first photo is the sunset from Ocean City Maryland inlet.

Ocean City Maryland

Not sure if these are Ring-billed Gulls, Ocean City, Md?

Assateague Island National Seashore

"Make peace of mind your priority."

This may be a flock of Snow Buntings, we never did see them on the ground or close up. We just watched their flight pattern. 

Assateague Island National Seashore. 

"Nothing soothes the soul like a walk on the beach."

My Saturday's critter post has more of my wild pony photos. 

A view of the park's beach.

"Find your place of peace and carry it with you always."

I am thankful for our national parks and national seashores.
I am thankful to walk on the beach, even on a cloudy day.

I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 

Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday

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

Snow Bunting

Linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

For this weeks Wild Bird I am featuring one of my favorites the Snow Bunting..

The Snow Bunting is sometimes called the Snowflake. The photos are from various sightings.. The shot above was from a few years ago, the Snow Bunting was seen at Fort McHenry Baltimore.

This shot was taken at the Indian River Campground in Delaware

It breeds in the Arctic, the male in breeding plumage is all white with a black back. It builds its a bulky nest in rock crevices. They can be seen in the winter along the Atlantic coast beaches..

This is my most recent sighting of the Snow Buntings seen at the Barnegat Beach in New Jersey.



The winter plumage is a pale ginger, blackish and white..The bill is yellow with a black tip. They come together in flocks to forage and roost in groups of 30-80. I hope you enjoyed my Snow Bunting and wild bird post..

Till next week's wild bird post.. I wish you happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Join in and post your birdies and to see more beautiful and wonderful bird and nature photos please visit:

 Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Michelle's  Nature Notes

Thanks to all of our hosts... Michelle for Nature Notes and Stewart of Wild Bird Wednesday.

  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Birding Cape Henlopen, Delaware

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

December 8, 2013

This post shares some of the sights hubby and I saw while birding Delaware last weekend. We stopped at so many different places in Delaware, I took tons of photos. Some are scenic and lots of birds photos of course  ;)

I was kind of hoping to see some  Snow Bunting on the beach at Cape Henlopen. There was not a Snow Bunting in sight only a few gulls hanging around.

The beach at Cape Henlopen State Park, it is just around the corner from the Cape May/Lewes Ferry.

A few gulls and a Horned Grebe

The House Finches perched in a tree near the nature center's feeders.

Above the House Finches look like ornaments on this bare tree. And the Brown-headed Nuthatches are so cute, they were one of my favorite sightings.

We were walking back up the trail when this Turkey Vulture flew low over our heads. It was a pretty sky but a very cold day on the beach.

Even though is was a cold day and I missed seeing the Snow Buntings we still had a fun time walking on the beach. I did get to see my favorite Brown-headed Nuthatches..  I hope you enjoyed our walk around the Cape Henlopen beach.

I was happy to take some photos of my great - nephew on Thanksgiving.. Baby Neill is so cute and was one of my favorite guests for Thanksgiving this year...

I have starting a new MEME called Saturday Critters..posted early on Saturday Mornings...join in on the party and post your cute critters.

As always, I hope you enjoy my post and 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!

Top Ten 2012

We are almost at the end of 2012, very hard to believe this year flew by. For my Camera critter post I have a post on my top ten birds I most want to see and some photos of my previous top ten. I started this list years ago and have been marking off my lifers as I see them.

TOP TEN BIRDS... from 2009 most wanted to see in 2010 first post on my TOP TEN
1. Snowy Owl.. seen @ Assateague...added Snow Bunting... a link to my  Snowy Owl
2. Whip-poor-will.........Seen at Magee Marsh, Ohio
3. Blackburian Warbler...a male.....Seen  at Magee Marsh , Ohio  my Blackburian Warbler
4. Green Jay....maybe a Texas trip
5. Snipe...Seen in the Paper Mills flats here in Maryland my Wilson's Snipe
6. Horned Lark...seen Freeland, MD added the....American Woodcock... seen at Magee Marsh, Ohio
7. Yellow Breasted Chat...seen on a Bird Club outing my Yellow-breasted Chat
8. Bittern... any......American Bittern seen with the bird club in Huntley Meadows, Virginia
9. Chestnut-backed Chickadee..  seen on our Oregon vacation July , 2012
10. Whooping Crane.....seen Aug 4, 2012 at the Patuxent Whooping Crane research center

I saw lots of Chestnut-backed Chickadees during our trip to Oregon, July 2012.

We visited the Whooping Crane research center at Patuxent NWR in Aug, 2012. My Whooping Crane post about our Whooping Crane tour at the research center is here Whooping Crane.

The Snow Bunting is one of my favorite top ten birds and I was so happy to see it here in Maryland

 at Fort McHenry.

2011....Top Ten Birds..Most want to see in 2012

1. Barn Owl..in the wild
2. Atlantic Puffin...saw the Tufted Puffin In Oregon, July 2012 still need the Atlantic Puffin
3. Evening Grosbeak....male..I have seen the female Evening Grosbeak here in my yard Nov, 2012
4. Black Rosy-Finch
5. Roadrunner
6. Pine Grosbeak....male
7. Western Tanager....male...male seen during our July 2012 vacation to Oregon
8. Green Tailed Towhee
9. GreenJay
10. Townsend’s Warbler..seen on a backyard feeder in Carlisle Pa, Feb 2012

I was thrilled to see the Tufted Puffin, the male Western Tanager and the Townsend's Warbler even though the sighting was only for a short time and I was not able to take their photos.

On the list above I need to go on a vacation to Texas and Arizona? I could knock off a few of these birds with one trip.

 A real treat to see the female and juvie Evening Grosbeaks in my yard in Nov, 2012

                                            2012 Top Ten Birds... most want to see in 2013

1.   Barn Owl ..in the wild
2.   Atlantic Puffin
3.   Blue-winged Warbler
4.   Golden-winged Warbler
5.   Saw-Whet Owl
6.   Burrowing Owl
7.   Limpkin
8.   Black Tern
9.   Common Redpoll
10.  Pine Grosbeak

Since we are having this irruptive year, I might be able to see the Common Redpoll or even a Pine Grosbeak in Maryland or neighboring states. The Burrowing Owl and Limpkin are possible to see during a planned Florida trip in March or April. The two warblers will have to wait until spring. I am hoping to add many more lifers to my list in 2013. Happy Birding.

 To see more beautiful photos and cute critters please visit: 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.

Birding Fort McHenry, Baltimore

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

 HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY weekend!


I have been reading recently on my birding listserve that Snow Buntings were being seen at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. I have only seen the Snow Buntings in flight along the Delaware shores so I figured this was my chance to see them on the ground and a little closer. So hubby and I drove to Baltimore picked hubby's cousin and we all went to enjoy the great weather and a walk around Fort McHenry.  Well, I am sure everyone knows I am really into birds could not pass up such a great opportunity to see the beautiful Snow Buntings and unbelievably it was hubby's cousins first time inside the Fort. I am happy to report finding these two Snow Buntings was so easy and I have to thank the nice birder that found them and reported seeing them. Seeing the Snow Buntings made my weekend.

A hazy view of the Francis Scott Key bridge seen from Fort McHenry. The Fort was where the Star Spangled Banner our national anthem was inspired and written by Francis Scott Key during the bombardment of the Fort McHenry.

One of the two Snow Buntings that we saw at Fort McHenry.

The birds were on a walkway that is close to the waters edge. Many people were walking and jogging right by them and they did not seem bothered by people at all.

Looking up on the hill from the walkway we could see the large canons that were used during the War of 1812.

Inside the Fort, people were gathering to listen to a local band playing and celebrating the Veteran's Day holiday. After our walk around Fort McHenry we made the short drive back to hubby's cousins place, parked our car and walk over to the Baltimore Harborplace for lunch at Bubba Gumps.

Just outside the restaurant we saw this visiting tall ship from Norway, what a beautiful tall ship. The harborplace was crowded mainly due to the fantastic weather we were having. What a great day! I hope everyone had a great weekend.

To see more wonderful photos and mosaics please visit Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday
 Thanks to Mary of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia and Sandy .  Thanks also for stopping by to see my post.  I wish everyone a happy week!