Weekend walk, Sept 08

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

September 8, 2013

I am sharing some scenes from our weekend walk and from around our yard and neighborhood. Yesterday, hubby and I tried our luck on finding some migrating warblers. We took our weekend walk at a park in Milford Mill in Baltimore County.  It is known to be a hotspot for seeing the warblers during the Spring and Fall migrations.

Just one of the warblers we saw, I believe this is a juvie fall version of the Chestnut-sided Warbler. It was hard trying to take any warbler photos the leaves kept getting in the way.

These flowers are beautiful sight seen along the park trail.

Back in our yard, a Fritillary was on the butterfly bush, the Devil's Stick berries are waiting for the warblers to chow down and the hummingbirds are still around guarding the feeders.

I am not sure why but this has been the second tractor parade down my street, there was one last month and yesterday I was able to catch more of the parade. On a neighboring street I watched a peacock hen parade down the street.

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!

Shenandoah National Park

I am linking up Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-b-birdin   I hope you are joining in and posting your birds and critters.

Last Sunday hubby and I went on a daytrip to Shenandoah National Park, we enjoy riding on the Skyline Drive and hiking on the trails. 

A Downy Woodpecker seen on the Limberlost Trail.

The Limberlost Trail is my favorite trail. I knew the Hooded Warblers were nearby and I took my time looking for the warblers and other birds along the trail. I could hear the Hooded Warblers nearby along with a few American Redstarts.

Pictured above I was trying to follow my Hooded Warbler around the branches I started hearing noises that sounded like acorns or branches falling. So I followed the sounds to the top of the tree and noticed a tree swaying back and forth. Then I saw two black spots one big and a smaller black spot at the top of the tree. I zoomed in with my camera and I see two bears, one I think is the momma bear and the smaller definitely a baby bear.

The tree was swaying was actually from momma bear reaching for some kind of berries to eat. I think she had a feast up there in the treetop.

She was resting her head on the branch with the legs dangling off.  I wonder what the birds were thinking?

Momma looks comfy laying on the branches, she decided to take a nap in the tree. I hope she didn't fall out.

I did finally get to see the Hooded Warbler out in the open with a caterpillar in its mouth. But I think the excitement of seeing the bear I couldn't focus on the warbler. Seeing a bear up in the tree gives new meaning to the term "warbler neck". We stood on the trail and watched momma bear for some time, probably the longest bear sighting we ever had. We actually left before the bear, I did not want to be there when the bear came down the tree.

The American Redstart is beautiful, with its halloween colors black with the bright orange. I guess the birds do not mind sharing their trees and berries with the bears.

This week I am sharing some of my favorite memes. I have met some wonderful bloggers by joining in on the blogging parties and memes. Also, by linking your blog up you may increase your blog visitors and readers. So today, I am sharing the links for some of my favorite memes.


Sunday link up to: Mosaic Monday Mary at Little Red House has been hosting this fun meme you can join by creating mosaics and linking up. For my mosaics making I use the free site PicMonkey it is my favorite and easy to use.

Monday link up to: Our World Tuesday meet fellow bloggers from around the world sharing what is happening in their world.

Tuesday link up to : Wild Bird Wednesday Stewart is the Host of Wild Bird Wednesday. Fellow bloggers from around the world share their birds and photos.

Wednesday link up to : Nature Notes is one of my favorites..I love anything to do with nature. The birds, butterflies, flowers..a world of beautiful things.

Thursday link up to : Skywatch Friday is another one of my favorites. I love to skywatch, the sunrises and sunsets are beautiful. The cloud formations are beautiful. So many skies to share, a new one everyday.
Thursday link up to:NF Winged if you enjoy birds and other winged things  and like to share them with fellow bloggers.

 Saturday link up to: Camera Critters  and I'd-rather-b-birdin I am a bird and animal lover,  it is wonderful to see everyone's critters.

Saturday link #2 is Scenic Weekends I link up my travel blog Travel with Eileen it is fun to virtually travel the world.

There are many more blog memes and parties, these just happen to be some of my favorites. I hope someday you can join in on our fun. See you there!

Thanks for stopping by and for the nice comments! I wish everyone a happy weekend.

 To see more beautiful photos and cute critters

 please visit:  Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious hosts Misty Dawn of Camera Critters and to Anni of I'd Rather-B-birdin.

Around the yard, September 4th

It's that time to link up with  Skywatch Friday 
I am looking forward to seeing everyone's beautiful skies, I hope you can join in with Skywatch Friday.

 I am sharing some of my backyard birds and some sky shots from my yard. I hope you enjoy.

A juvenile Great Crested Flycatcher or a juvenile Wood PeWee.

Baldie the Bluejay! My bluejay is molting soon his feather will be back and beautiful.

Carolina Wren is a cutie!

Crepe Myrtle in the back yard.

A view of the sunset from the deck.

  Happy Skywatching everyone!

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

To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday

Thanks to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday!    I wish everyone a safe and happy weekend.

Royal Terns

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

I know it is really hard to believe but, I still have birds photos from my Florida April vacation. So my featured bird for Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes is the Royal Tern. They were seen at the Fort De Soto park.

The Royal Tern is a seabird. This Tern has a red-orange bill and a black cap at the top of its head during the breeding season. Almost all Terns species are black and white, mostly more white than black.

The Royal Tern is only found along the coastlines and only found where there is salt water. They dive into the water and catch their prey by piercing it with their bills.

The Royal Tern is a large tern, second only to the Caspian Tern. There are at least 17 types of Terns seen in North America. The Terns are known for their great distances travelled during migration.

The Terns are some of my favorite birds to see at the coast. Some of the Terns I am familiar with are the Royal Tern, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Least Tern and the Forster's Tern. I am hoping to add the Black Tern to my life list too. Do you love the Tern's 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.

Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your nice comments. I always appreciate your visits.
I wish everyone a happy week ahead and Happy Birding!

Our weekend walk, Aug 31

  I am linking up with  Our World Tuesday 

September 2, 2013

For my post for Our World Tuesday, I am sharing some of the scenes from this weekend's walk.  We walked on the fireroad that we call the Pine Tree loop, it maybe a mile long.

Along the trail, beside the tall pine trees we saw lots of colorful berries and some leaves changing into their pretty fall colors.

Autumn is a second Spring when every leaf is a flower. A quote by Albert Camus.

I am sure the birds are happy with all the berries we were seeing.

Of course while I am walking I am listening for  different birds, I could hear some loud Bluejays, a Wood PeWee, Cardinals, a Northern Flicker and I am sure some Warblers were high in the treetops.

I believe there were two Northern Flickers, but I was only able to snap off a few shots of this Flicker. It is pretty with the red on its head and the spotted chest.

Along the trail, we saw different kinds of ferns, they all look beautiful to me. After working all week, I am happy to get outdoors for a walk and to enjoy everything that is nature.

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. A quote by William Shakespeare.


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 Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  I wish everyone a happy week!