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!

A few More Sparrows, Part 3

January 14, 2014

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

I know I am no way near seeing all 35 Sparrow's . But, I have a few more I can add to continue with my Sparrow post.

More Sparrows from my archives.. I am sharing the LeConte's Sparrow.. It is a small sparrow with a large head. It has a buffy yellow-orange face with gray cheeks.

LeConte"s Sparrow was a special sighting. They more of a rare sighting to be seen in Maryland. The LeConte's Sparrow to me is one of the prettier Sparrows.

This is a shy Lincoln Sparrow hiding in the bush. I manage to get a shot of him peeking out. They are similar to the Song Sparrow with a brown cap and  gray stripe in the middle. They also have a finer bill.

The Song Sparrow one of the most common sparrows I do see just about everywhere. The Song Sparrow has dark upperparts and streaks. Also, has the dark spot in the middle of its chest.

I try to throw in some descriptions of the sparrows I have seen maybe it will help with iding the sparrows.

Thanks for stopping by my post and for all the 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 our host Michelle our host Stewart.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

More Sparrows, Part 2

January 7, 2014

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

It is very cold and windy, I hope everyone stays war and safe.. And I am wishing for warm weather to show up soon..

I am doing a second part to my previous Sparrow post..These photos are mostly from archives. Except a more recent shot of the House Sparrows..I read there are 35 types of sparrows..I have only just begun.. not sure where I am going to find all these sparrows..

Savannah Sparrow

This Savannah Sparrow was seen on the Delaware Shore.

The Sparrows are one species of bird that are hard for me to id.. So many sparrows look alike and the females make id-ing hard. I think this Dickcissel looks similar to the Savannah above.. They are found in different habitats, the beak looks different.

Edited: I found that what I thought was a Grasshopper Sparrow was actually a Dickcissel.. It looks like the sparrows.. SORRY!!

The snow has brought a lot of House Sparrows to my feeders.. I can look out and see 10 or more at a time.. They are year round birds and seem to be plentiful..

Swamp Sparrow

My only shot of the Swamp Sparrow was found in almost the same spot as the first bird above on the Delaware Shore. I have more Sparrows to share like the Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow and a LeConte's Sparrow.. There is also the Rufous-collard Sparrow seen in the Caribbean. I have a lot more sparrows to find and id..so more Sparrow post to come later.

Thanks for stopping by my post and for all the nice comments.. Have  a happy week and stay warm..

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 our host Michelle our host Stewart.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Sparrows Part 1

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

December 31, 2013


 Wishing everyone all the best in 2014,  a HAPPY HEALTHY NEW YEAR!!

May each day of the New Year
bring happiness, good cheer
and sweet surprises
to you and all your dear ones!
Happy New Year!

For my post I am sharing some Sparrow's I have seen during various birding outings.. One bird (photos are from my archives) was a special Sparrow not usually seen in Maryland the Harris's Sparrow.

Above is a Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow and the  Fox Sparrow

 This shot shows the dark head of the  Harris's Sparrow on the ground behind the Fox Sparrow. And along with the others I mentioned above.

One of my New Year goals.. I am trying to arranged my blog and labels showing all my life birds seen at different times of course..So, I may be sharing some archived birds on more recent post. 

Above are the White-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Fox Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and a Robin.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these pretty sparrows and birds.  I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year's.

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 our host Michelle our host Stewart.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Sunrise at Bosque Del Apache

I am linking up with NF Winged   and  Skywatch Friday 

I am linking up with Lydia of Where the Wild Things Were and the Favorite Fotos linky.

 November 21, 2013

Hubby and I were up early on our second morning,  we headed to the Bosque Del Apache before sunrise. It was well worth getting up early to see these beautiful skies and reflections. The birds of course were an added bonus for me.

The reflections at the marsh were beautiful.

Throw in some ducks, snow geese and sandhill cranes and the day just gets better.

For my NF Winged part of my post,  I am sharing some more Bosque Del Apache birds like the Grebe above.

Not the best or even a clear shot, but I love the Black Phoebe and the colors in the shot above.

A pretty White-Crowned  Sparrow with the blue sky.

I took a gazillion sunrise photos, I could not decide which one I like better. They are some of my all time favorite sunrise photos. I hope you all like them too.


 Thanks for visiting my post and  blog and I always appreciate your comments.

  Happy Skywatching everyone!

To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and to see more of the winged critters check out NF Winged

Thanks to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday! Thanks to Monica the host of NF Winged.   I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.

A few regulars

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

The rain kept me mostly in the house and I was not able to go birding this weekend. So, I am sharing some of the regulars or the year round birds I saw in my yard this last couple of days.

A couple of House Finches have been having around the yard.

The Cardinals are daily visitors to my yard

Lately I have been seeing a group of House Sparrows at my feeders.

The White-Breasted Nuthatch is also a regular visitor and one of my favorites. I have been seeing some of the winter birds moving in like the Ruby-Crowned Kinglets and yesterday I saw my FOY Dark-eyed Junco.  Thanks for stopping by to see my Wild Birds..

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 our host Michelle our host Stewart.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

New Old birds

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

July 2, 2013

Can you believe it is July already?  I wish all the Canadian bloggers a HAPPY CANADA day. And on Thursday is our 4th of July celebration in the USA.

These are a few birds from my archives that I noticed I have not posted. I would like to do a post on each of my lifers, that way all my lifers appear on my blog. Another way I can keep track of my life birds. These birds were seen during a trip to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Magpie

Mountain Bluebirds

Clark's Nutcracker

Black-throated Sparrows. I am sure I have more lifers that I have not done a blog post about, it will take a little while to find the photos. How do you keep you life list? Is it on an Excel document? Do you keep a written journal?  I am looking for an easy way to keep a list list and have it numbered, any ideas?



I hope you enjoyed my variety of Wild Birds on this post.
Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your nice comments. I always appreciate your visits.
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!

Birds, Blooms & the sky

I am linking up with NF Winged   and  Skywatch Friday

June 26, 2013

Another week flying by, its time for sharing your birds on NF Winged and to share your skies on Skywatch Friday.  I hope to see you all there.

Tufted Titmouse with a dried Meal Worm. I am see lots of baby birds lately. The Tufted Titmouse fledglings are fun to watch and they make the sweetest sounds.

A couple of Chipping Sparrows, the fledglings are being seen all over my yard lately. They are so cute.

LOL, my yardbirds and I are excited about our blueberry crop. I have two blueberry bushes that are full of berries. I am hoping I can get to pick some ripe berries before the birds get them.

The Lantana on our deck is looking pretty. I chose Lantana after reading that this flower attracts the butterflies and hummingbirds.

 The Scarlet Tanager singing in the tree across from my driveway.

On this day hubby went off into the woods with Goldie Girl and my camera. He came back with some great sunset photos and moon shots.

Hubby's Super Moon shot! It is a beautiful color.

The Super Moon reflecting on our lake. The sky shots this week are courtesy of my dear hubby. I hope you enjoyed this post and photos.

Thanks for visiting my post and  blog and I always appreciate your comments.

Happy Skywatching  to everyone!
To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and to see more of the winged critters check out NF Winged

Thanks to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday! Thanks to Monica the host of NF Winged.   I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.

Yardbirds

I am linking up with Camera Critters and I'd-rather-b-birdin

It's official Spring has Sprung, but where? Certainly not here, our temp's have been in the 30's and 40's, cold blustery days. This coming Sunday they are calling for another snow/rain event. Did Punxsutawney Phil get it wrong and are we due for more winter weather? Do you even believe a groundhog can predict the weather? I think I hear Florida calling my name.

For this weekend's critter and bird post I have some of my yardbirds from during the week.

One of my pretty White-throated Sparrows, they are a winter bird. I guess that is why I am still seeing them. They know winter has not left yet.

This is a Fox Sparrow, they are also another winter bird for my area. I guess they do not believe it is Spring either. They are pretty with their vivid rust streaks.

The American Goldfinches are one of my year round birds. They usually they wear their dull look in the winter months. 

The Pine Siskins are one of the irruptive year birds, they visit in the winter only during certain years. They are always welcome in my yard and at my feeders. They can even bring more of their friends.

The White-Breasted Nuthatch is another one of my year round birds, lately I have been seeing two chasing each other around. Not sure if it two males being territorial or if they are a couple.

One of the many female Cardinals I am seeing in my yard. Pretty soon the territorial couple will chase off all the other Cardinals and I will be left with the mating couple for awhile.

Not sure if this is the Mrs mate, I am seeing at least 5 or 6 male Cardinals in the yard. One will be the lucky guy!

I

I caught the Bluejay at the birdbath, I guess he/she at sometime has to wash down all those peanuts they eat.

I hope you enjoy my yardbirds, I love to show them all off, they are so pretty. I am not sure how long my winter visitors will be sticking around..not much longer. Thanks for visiting my post and for the nice comments.

To see more wonderful critters and photos please visit and join in on the fun with Misty Dawn's Camera Critters and to see some lovely birds check out  I'd-rather-b-birdin

Thanks to Misty Dawn for hosting Camera Critters and to Anni the host of I'd rather-b-birdin. I wish everyone a great weekend and Happy Birding.