Happy Thankful Thursday!

 Happy Thankful Thursday!

On December 26th we spent the day at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. We drove the wildlife drive and saw a beautiful rainbow. This was our last full day in Florida, we saved the best place for last. 

"There is a rainbow of hope at the end of every storm."

 "Nature always wears the colors of the spirit." Ralph Waldo Emerson

The birds seen were colorful too, the Little Blue Heron and the Roseate Spoonbill in the photo below. 

 "Colors are the smiles of nature."

 We saw lots of Tricolored Herons, White Ibis and the pretty Roseate Spoonbills.

 This Tricolored Heron posed nicely for me.

 "Nothing last forever, make every moment special."

 A bush full of Roseate Spoonbills.

 "Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud." Maya Angelou





At the visitor center we saw the Painted Buntings, the male is a beautiful bird with a rainbow of colorful feathers.

 A pretty sky and walk on the trail to the lookout tower.

 "Life is like a rainbow. You need both the sun and the rain to make it's colors appear."

I am thankful to see a rainbow, I do not see them often.
I am thankful for the colors of nature.
I am always thankful for your visit and comments. 

Live simple and be happy!  😊




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




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

Saturday's Critters #272

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!


Birds, turtles and gators, oh my! These are some images from our visit to the Green Cay Nature Center on Jan 9th.  We saw lots of birds and critters. 

We saw many beautiful Tricolored Herons.

The breeding Cattle Egret  has the rusty color on it's head.

These turtles were covered with some muck, maybe the Florida Scoter or the Sliders?

You never know when a gator is around, they can blend in and hide in the vegetation.

A Green Heron is standing in the wetland plants.

Above the boardwalk, a hawk checking out the small bird and maybe lizards in the trees.

Walking back to the car we saw an Egret caught a lizard. You can see the lizard if you click on the photo for larger viewing.

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!

Saturday's Critters #267

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 have so many Florida photos to share, lots of birds and critters. I hope you enjoy. This is a part two of our Merritt Island NWR visit. 

The White Ibis and a Tricolored Heron

Smile for the camera, Florida alligator.

Below is a good sized group of Blue-winged Teal and some American Coots. 

I can make out some distant Northern Shovelers in the photo below. 

Great Egret

The Green Herons were a common sight too.

Anhinga, seen in many Florida parks.

Glossy Ibis were around in high numbers.

This group of birds took off from the ground, they were hidden until they were in flight. The pink Roseate Spoonbills stand out in the crowd.

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!

Happy Thankful Thursday

Hello and happy Thursday,

I am back from my trip to Florida, we had a great trip. It included visits to many beaches, wildlife preserves and refuges, Florida State Parks. We drove to Florida making an overnight stop in Georgia to break up the long drive. 


On January 4 we arrived in Florida and making a stop at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The wildlife drive was open but other parts of the refuge was closed due to the shutdown. These are some of my images from the wildlife drive, lots of birds and some scenic views.

A pretty view of the sky and palm tree along the wildlife drive.

Great Egret and  Tricolored Heron.

Tricolored Heron

Roseate Spoonbill

Two Roseate Spoonbills.

A large flock of American Coots.

Blue-winged Teal

A pretty sky and view of the wildlife refuge.

I am thankful that we had a great trip to Florida and arrived home safely.
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!

Tricolored Heron

Happy Monday everyone!

My prayers go out to all those in Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey.

My wild bird this week is the Tricolored Heron. Also known as the Louisiana Heron. They nest in colonies often with other heron species. The Tricolored heron has a blue-grey head, neck and back and a white line down it's chest and a white belly.  It can be seen stalking and running in the shallow water while searching for it's prey.

Adult herons have the long plume on it's head.

The photo below shows off some of the pretty colors on the Tricolored Heron.

The breeding colors on the Tricolored Heron,  shows the pretty blue and black tip bill.

I hope you enjoyed my Tricolored Heron  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

Saturday's Critters #173

Saturday's Critters #173

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

I have not been many places since being home, one reason is the weather has not been cooperating. But luckily, I have tons of photos from my visits to the Circle B Reserve in Lakeland Florida. I do not think I will ever get around to showing all of them. I am trying to pick out my favorite birds and critters. 

Another favorite the Belted Kingfisher. 

 A couple of Sandhill Cranes on the trail.

A pretty Tricolored Heron.

Common Moorhen and reflection.

A soft shelled turtle, look at that nose.

My favorite, the Green Heron

Baby gators

I am pretty sure this is the Eastern Phoebe.

Bald Eagle and nest.

As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also 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.

Saturday's Critters #170

Saturday's Critters #170

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

We will be packing up for our trip home to Maryland, so I will be visiting your post and commenting ASAP. Depending on our internet service of course. For now, I have more Florida photos to share from one of our Circle B Reserve, I hope you enjoy.

I will miss visiting the Circle B Bar Reserve, if you are ever in Lakeland Florida I highly recommend a visit.  An early morning look at a Wood Stork in a tree top.

A pretty look at an Anhinga.

A view of the Circle B reserve, a gator swimming along and a tree full of birds.

Bald Eagle perched on top a dead tree, near the nest.

I think this Great Blue Heron has a lot to say.

A Tricolored Heron and reflection.

 Two Red-shouldered hawks.

My video of the Sandhill Cranes flying around the Circle B Reserve.

As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also 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.