Saturday's Critters #317

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!



December 2019 road trip to Hilton Island and Florida. These are some critters/birds seen at the Pinckney Island NWR just a 1/2 mile west of Hilton Head Island.



Below are the Great Egret, juvenile Little Blue Heron, Great Blue Heron and a Snowy Egret.

 Lots of Eastern Bluebirds were seen at the wildlife refuge.

 Pied Billed Grebes.

White Ibis flying in to the Ibis Pond at Pinckney Island NWR

 Common Moorhen (thanks to Ken, the correct name is Common Gallinule).

 White Ibis, Coots, Moorhens and a big alligator.

I appreciate and thank everyone who visits and 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 host Anni.

Happy Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday

This is my last post on our Florida trip in January 2019. We saw some new places and a few repeat places we enjoyed from previous trips. On this last full day after leaving Key Largo we drove to the Everglades National Park. Our visit happened during the government shutdown but this park was open partially. We visited the Flamingo area of the park, which is the most southernmost part of the Everglades National Park. 

The Flamingo area of the Everglades offers boat rides and tours. I like the sky and reflections of the clouds. 

A nearby Osprey nest. 

A Brown Pelican sitting on the dock. 

The White Ibis with a pretty blue sky. 

A view of the Florida Bay and gulf coast. 

We were happy to see a few Manatees around the boat docks. 

This was a small baby manatee off to the side, he/she looked a little sick to me. 

A sandbar out in the distance held lots of shorebirds, Osprey, Egrets and Herons. 

A Little Blue Heron with a Great Egret. It is hard to tell where the water ends and the sky begins. 

Below are a group of Snowy Egrets, a alligator that was making growling noises, Green Heron, Brown Pelican and another Osprey. 

I am thankful for all things nature related.
I am thankful for clear and sunny days.
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



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

Happy Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday!

January has flown by, I am hoping February will be short and warmer. 

During our trip to Florida we visited many parks and this post is on the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is actually part of the northern Everglades wetlands. It was another wildlife refuge that was partly open during our visit, located in Palm Beach County. We had a nice walk, saw some birds, 2 alligators and a very pretty sky. 

Below are some of the birds and the wildlife we saw at the refuge: the Tricolored Heron, American Kestrel, Cattle Egrets, Moorhen, White Peacock Butterfly and I am guessing a Florida Cooter Turtle?

Below are some White Ibis hiding in some tall grasses,  I had to zoom in for this photo. The White Ibis have an orange curved beak.

A pretty sky, reflection of the sky on the wetlands. 

More capture of the clouds reflecting in the canal. 

A limpkin was seen walking among the tall grasses. 

We saw a couple of gators, this bigger one and a smaller one was nearby.

I am just guessing at the id of the turtle below, could it be the Florida Cooter?

Another look at the trail and sky. 

A Great Blue Heron was standing perfectly still.

I am thankful for each day, even though I am wishing the cold winter weather  away. 
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 #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!

Saturday's Critters #206

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

If you love critters 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!

Some of my Sunset Beach, North Carolina birds and a gator near the golf course. They are not the best photos, on this day we had some clouds and the birds were all a good distance away.  :(

White Ibis and a Great Blue Heron

White Ibis on the golf course.

An alligator in the golf course pond. For those who did not know, yes there are alligators in North Carolina. We saw a few at this spot near a golf course.

I think this is the same gator as above, on this day he was enjoying the sunshine.

A Great Blue Heron and Great Heron, some crows in the background. They were all hanging out at a golf course.

An Osprey was seen in this same tree on a few different days.

For the birders out there, there are a few Black Crowned Night Herons in the photo below, can you find them?  How many do you see, I must admit a few are hidden in the leaves. Click on the photo for larger viewing. My version of where's Waldo?

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments! I hope you enjoy my post and photos too!

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!

White Ibis

Hello,

This week I am sharing and featuring the White Ibis for my Wild Bird and Nature Notes post. The White Ibis was a common bird seen all around Florida. I believe some have been seen in the Mid-Atlantic states.

As you can see this White Ibis has white plumage and pink face skin. The adults have black tipped wings, visible in flight.

It is said their range is from Virginia and west to Texas and is very common in Florida.

Seen below are the White Ibis mixed with the Wood Storks, Heron, Swans and ducks.

A juvenile White Ibis can be seen below with the brownish feathers.

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

Wild Bird Wednesday

Viera Wetlands

Hello,

Prayers for London and the victims of the terror act.

These are images from our time in Florida, I hope you enjoy. It was a great 5 months living in Florida, I have enjoyed this experience of living in a new place and the state of Florida.

We learned to avoid traffic on the highways in Florida it is best to leave early in the morning. On this day we were heading to the Viera Wetlands in Melbourne Florida. We were early enough to see the sunrise at the nearby Satellite Beach.

Pelican flyby.

Below are the some of the birds we saw at the Viera Wetlands, the White Ibis with his colorful bill and legs.

A Great Egret and a Roseate Spoonbill.

Great Blue Herons on nest.

White Pelicans were one of my favorite sights.

Start each day with a thankful heart. 

I am thankful for my time and experiences while living in Florida.
I am thankful my dreams that turned into reality.

Be thankful for unknown blessings already on their way. 


 Thank you for your visit and comments on my post. Enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

Thanks to Michelle for the meme Thankful Thursday

I am also linking up to Skywatch Friday, I hope to see you there.

Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.