Pileated Woodpecker

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

 Lately, I have been seeing the Pileated Woodpeckers flying across my yard and landing on the trees across from my driveway.  The are fun to hear knocking on the trees and to hear their loud calls. 

This is a male Pileated Woodpecker, because the malar is red. The females have a black malar. They are large in size abut 17 inches in length and a 29 inch wingspan.

The Pileated Woodpecker is commonly seen in the woods and watershed property next to my house. I see and hear them often while walking on the fireroads.

I think they love putting holes into the trees, at least the trees and holes are not on our property. They do look for termites and other bugs to eat while drilling their holes. It is funny how some of their holes are square or rectangle in shape and not round.

I was hoping someday to see them or their babies peeking out of one of the many trees. I hope you enjoyed my post and thanks for stopping by. I always appreciate your comments too!

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!

Early Morning birds

 I am linking up with Simple Things Sunday and  Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday

Happy Superbowl Sunday!!   GO RAVENS!!!!!!!

 I love the view from our mailbox. I wanted to check out the condition of our street after yesterdays snowfall. Some day I am afraid the foresters will be cutting down these lovely pine trees along my street. :(

It will change my view for ever. But, for now I am enjoying the view.

Above is a mosaic of what I call our monster, the trumpet vine on our deck. We left it for the birds to hide in or perch. This morning they patiently waited for me to clean the snow off the feeders and fill them up.

More birds patiently waiting the Juncos and a White-Throateed Sparrow

It seems to be a happy place for the birds above are the Juncos and a Morning Dove.

Early this morning, I swept the snow off an area where I walk to fill up the feeders. I placed peanuts along the deck railing for the birds or I should say squirrels.

 

My cardinal couple waiting for their breakfast. I think they are telling me to hurry up.

What makes you happy? I am happy to keep my birds safe and happy. The birds are enjoying the food on these cold winter days. I hope you enjoyed my post. Thanks for stopping by and I always appreciate your comments.

Join in on the fun and for more wonderful photos please visit Simple Things Sunday and mosaics please visit Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday
 Thanks to Rebecca of Simple as that and 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!

My feathered friends

I am linking up with  Green Day and Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-B-Birdin.

These are some shots from Thursday and Friday. On Thursday we woke up to a light dusting of snow on the ground. We were supposed to be heading for the Jersey shores on these two days but the forecast of snow and such cold weather changed our minds. Also, me waking up with one of my three day migraine would not have been cool. So we stayed home. I did not go out of the house I watched my backyard birds. And when it snows my feathered friends go into a feeding frenzy.  It is great because I get to see the birds up close. So here is an assortment of my yardbirds. The dusting of snow disappeared quickly.

The Dark-eyed Junco is one of my winter visitors and they have been plentiful the last two days. The Juncos look cute sitting in the pine tree they remind me of Christmas ornaments.

More tree ornaments a White-throated Sparrow and a Tufted Titmouse.

A regular visitor is the Redbellied Woodpecker.

One of my many Bluejays.

A pretty female Cardinal.

A cute Carolina Wren. Friday afternoon the forecast was calling for 1-3 inches. It was really coming down at times.

A pretty male Cardinal.

Pine Siskins are around in big numbers the last two days. I hope you enjoy my feathered friends.

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

If you would like to see some scenes other than my birds you can check out my other blog and scenes from my travels: travelwitheileen

Thanks for visiting my blog and post. I wish everyone a very safe and happy weekend.

Merry Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas, everyone! Linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday.

Some of these photos are from last years visit to Longwood Gardens to see their Christmas display and some are my most recent backyard birds.

My yard birds around the Christmas lights. Merry Christmas from my yard to yours!

 I want to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas!


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!

Bald Eagles at the river

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

For this weeks Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday I am showing off our National Bird the Bald Eagle. Hubby and I visited the Susquehanna River not too far away from us here in Maryland. This river attracts many Bald Eagles during their migration and some Eagles are there year round. In past years around Thanksgiving week close to 200 Eagles have been seen at this river.

 Above are various shots of the Bald Eagles at the Susquehanna River In Maryland. We saw many juveniles and adult Bald Eagles, they are an awesome birds to see. This week it was reported that there were around 55 eagles being seen. The river and dam attract lots of birds, beside the eagles, we saw various species of gulls, cormorants and of course the vultures are always nearby. I missed seeing the Red Phalarope that was being seen at the river above the dam.

I had to zoom in pretty far just to get this shot. LOL, but you look REAL close you can make out the juvenile Bald Eagles and some  of the adults with their white heads perched on top of some of the rocks. Also there are some gulls, pigeons and cormorants . The juvenile eagles are dark brown with white underwing coverts.


Another week has rolled around, we have changed our clocks back an hour to Standard Time and Tuesday is Election Day. I will be happy to see Election Day come and go. I do my part and I will vote but, I am so tired of seeing the ads on the TV. They could save the money they use on TV ads for much better use. They could donate their money to the victims of Hurricane Sandy. My mind is already made up about who I will be voting for and what questions I am for and against and their constant TV and radio ads will not change my mind.

The photos above were taken yesterday morning before we headed to the river to see the eagles. In the mosaic above, I have a shot of the moon and sky, and lots of Pine Siskins.

 In the shot above, are a group of Pine Siskins, a Tufted Titmouse and a female Purple Finch.

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!

Backyard Skywatch

It's time for some of my favorites memes Skywatch Friday and  NF Winged.

Just another post from my backyard, I have not really been anywhere beside work and home. These shots were taken a few days before the big storm. The sky was mostly clear except for a few line of contrails across my sky. When the sun was setting the contrails turned a pretty pink. Also, for the NF Winged entry I some of my Pine Siskins. They seem to be visiting my feeders everyday now. They are fun to watch.

A few Pine Siskins and one of my Goldfinches.

Above is a shot showing the difference between a Goldfinch and the Pine Siskin. The main difference I think is the yellow stripe on the side of their wings. The Siskin has stripes on its belly and the Goldfinch has more of an off-white belly.

Looks like a caught a few geese flying by, the contrails turned a pretty pink when the sun was setting.

 

Above I could watch the jets and the contrails in action.

A couple of my Purple Finches, they also seem to be daily visitors now.

Yesterday, hubby and I drove around our lake to see how much water was going over the dam after all the rain we received from the storm Sandy.

I took this shot standing on the dam looking over at the river below the dam is overflowing its banks.  On good days this river is popular with the trout fisherman. It will be awhile for this river to recede enough for fishing.

I am hoping with the time change coming up I can look forward to seeing some great sunrises on my way to work.  I saw a beautiful sky this morning from my office window,  I was upset I did not have my camera with me. Next time I will be prepared.

To see more beautiful photos and pretty skies please visit Skywatch Friday
and to see more of the winged critters check out NF Winged

Thanks to Sylvia and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday! Thanks to Monica the host of NF Winged. Also, thank you for stopping by to see my post. I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.

Around the Yard..Part V

Another week has disappeared and now it is time for some of my favorites memes Skywatch Friday and  NF Winged. Are your weeks flying by? I hope you are all having a great week.

 These are some shots from the last couple of days, the sky, moon and some of my yardbirds. Some were taken in the morning, afternoon and in the evening after work. I am not looking forward to changing the clocks back an hour on November 4. 

There are always Mourning Doves in my yard. Some times there are just a few Doves and other times they seem to take over like the squirrels. The Doves are timid birds like my Cardinals, they will fly off if they catch me looking at them. Some times I am quick with snapping off a shot before they realize I see them.

The Carolina Chickadee is another year round yard bird for me. I've been checking out my Chickadees looking for the Black-capped Chickadee.  I have seen both in my yard, so maybe this is the year for Black-capped Chickadees. The Carolina Chickadee is actually a little smaller than the Black-capped Chickadee and has a shorter tail. I just wished they would stay still long enough for me see get a good look at them.

 

To see more beautiful photos and pretty skies please visit Skywatch Friday
and to see more of the winged critters check out NF Winged

Thanks to Sylvia and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday! Thanks to Monica the host of NF Winged. Also, thank you for stopping by to see my post. I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.

Local Colors

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

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Since we were away last weekend we did not plan much for this weekend. We took a walk on the bike trail looking for some fall colors there and around our lake. When I am home on the weekend I have to check out all my feeder birds. I miss seeing them while I am at work during the week.

Photos in my mosaic are some fall colors from the local bike trail, Goldie Girl, some geese on our lake and my yardbirds.

A mockingbird also seems to like to eat the pokeberries.

Above is a pretty Purple Finch and a Tufted Titmouse.

Some of the brighter colors from our walk on the bike trail yesterday.

 A Great Blue Heron we saw at the river next to the bike trail.

Goldie Girl went to the bike trail for a walk too.

On the way home from the bike trail we rode around the lake look for a bit of color.

There was just a little bit of color around the lake. The leaves on the trees are either still green or just turning brown. Are you seeing lots of fall colors where your live?

A chickadee and the Purple Finch on my feeder.

So these are shots of the local color and a few of my yardbirds.  I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.

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!