Yellow-faced Grassquit

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

For this week's wild bird I am sharing  the Yellow-faced Grassquit from Belize.

It is hard to believe but I never finished sharing all the lifers I saw while in Belize.. The Yellow-faced Grassquit was seen on the grounds of the Sleeping Giant Rainforest resort.. The few times I saw this bird they were poking around in the grass finding seeds or food.

The Yellow-faced Grassquit is a passerine bird seen in the Central America tropics. A small bird with a conical bill. The adult male has an olive-green back, it's face and breast are black. They have  a bright yellow throat, supercilia and lower eyelid spot. The rest of its underparts are a greyish olive.

They feed on grass seeds, insects and some berries..

Their main breeding season is in the summer, but they may nest February-April. Sometimes they may form loose nesting colonies.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my Belize  lifer the Yellow-faced Grassquit..

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 both of our hosts... Michelle for Nature Notes and our host Stewart of Wild Bird Wednesday.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Shenandoah National Park

  Shenandoah National Park


I am linking up with   Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

Last weekend, the hubby and I went on a daytrip to Shenandoah National Park.  We wanted to see the fall colors along the Skyline Drive.. We also hiked on the Limberlost trail, Appalachian Trail and a little bit at the Big Meadows..  The mosaics are some of the scenes from our day at the park..

Above the Pileated Woodpecker seen along the Limberlost trail, some sky shots and pretty fall colors..Other birds seen were Dark-eyed Juncos, Eastern Towhees, possible American Redstarts, American Crows, Turkey Vultures, Red-bellied Woodie, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren and the Tufted Titmouse.

 The  Limberlost Trail in Shenandoah National Park.

 A deer seen on the side of the Skyline Drive..some colors, pretty ferns and turkeyfeather fungi,

 The colors seen on the Big Meadow, Shenandoah Nat'l Park..

The views from the Appalachian Trail, colorful fall trees and a view of the Shenandoah Valley.

I hope you enjoyed our day at Shenandoah National Park, we plan on going back soon..The trees should be peaking...

As always I thank you in advance for stopping by and for the nice comments.

I hope you can join in on our at  Mosaic Monday and   Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to Judith our new 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 ahead!

Saturday's Critter's #45

Saturday's Critter's #44

Happy Columbus Day weekend.. I have  a long weekend...we are off Monday....YAHOO!!

Happy weekend everyone! I am looking forward to seeing everyone's critters this week..I appreciate everyone who has linked up in the past and for those who are linking in on this week's critter party.

 I hope you are not all tired of seeing my Colorado photos, but here are some more birds and  critter shots.

I notice these cute Barn Swallows screaming for food outside the restroom. Do birds have tonsils?

I just think these two shots above are so funny..even if they are fuzzy..

The lighting was not the best for taking photos, but you know me I will take them anyway.. Especially if it is a lifer bird like this Pygmy Nuthatch. It looks similar to the Brown-headed Nuthatch.

Another Pygmy Nuthatch shot.. Sorry is was a gray drizzly day.. This Pygmy Nuthatch was seen at the Beavers Meadows Visitor Center..

 This is a cute little Pika, and was seen at one of the overlooks on the Trail Ridge Road close to the top..

Sorry, this shot would have been better except for the little plant in front of the Pika, you can see it cute ears.. It was running away with a clump of something in its mouth..

 Another shot of the Barn Swallows..They are adorable birds..

A cute puppy outside the visitor center. I always notice puppies and dogs during my travels. 

The Uinta Chipmunk..is similar to the ground squirrel.. The difference is the ground squirrel does not have stripes on it's face.

I hope you enjoyed this series of Colorado birds and critters.. As always, I appreciate your stopping by to see my post and for all the wonderful comments..

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks to Tex Theresa aka Tex, I was able to add this link up button and thanks to  Jennifer for creating my photo badge.

<a href="http://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/"><img src=" https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3915/15299083201_9709303697_m.jpg" width="185" height="240"></a>


Thank you for linking up to the critter party. I also appreciate the visits, comments and the support of my blogging friends................... Have a happy weekend!


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

Please visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni of I'd Rather-B-birdin. Also, sharing with Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting

Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary

Linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences  and NF Winged


 These are all photos taken while doing some early morning birding along the Estes Lake trail..The trail also includes the Matthew-Reeser Bird Sanctuary.. I read some EBIRD reports before leaving home, I knew this place would be great for bird sightings..

 An Osprey sighted over the Estes Lake..

 The shot above and the one below are perfect for both my Good Fence and Skywatch  entries..

The trail is busy with walkers and bike riders..and birders..  

 For NF Winged: I am not sure but I thought the bird blending in with rocks above could be a Solitary Sandpiper..

 Another NF winged bird I was having trouble iding..My thoughts were a Wilson's Warbler only because I saw one nearby..

 I like this shot even though it is not clear, but the Mountain Chickadee in flight looks cool.. LOL, the focus on the pine cones and needles turned out..

Another shot for NF Winged..I call this shot above The Swallow Bush!  How many swallows can you find?You can click on the photo to make it bigger.

 A shot of the trail sky and our shadows..but at this time we had the trail to ourselves..

I took this shot in a wooded area near the trail, I like the view of the mountain and lake.. I had to watch my back, there was a bull elk resting behind me and a little off to my right..

I think this Elk was watching me watch the birds.. I was hoping dear hubby was keeping an eye on the Elk. Just in case he started moving towards me..

I do not think this duck was worrying about the Elk..

It was a pretty morning for our walk on the trail.  The sky was just beautiful. Above we are heading back to the visitor center parking and our car..More fences and more sky views!   I hope you enjoyed my photos from Estes Park, Colorado..

I hope you enjoyed my post and photos
To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and check more fence shots at Tex's Good Fences
and for anything that has wings check out NF Winged

Thanks to Tex @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences and to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday also thanks to Monica of NF Winged!   I wish everyone a safe and happy long weekend.

Dusky Grouse

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes


For this week's wild bird I am sharing the Dusky Grouse seen in the Rocky Mountain National Park..

 The Dusky Grouse is a forest dwelling Grouse native to the Rocky Mountains..These birds were seen off the road on the way to the Bear Lake Trail, just past the Glacier Gorge parking lot.. Adult females are mottled brown with dark brown and white marks on the underparts..

 This shot is not the best, taken thru the car window..I stopped for the Dusky Grouse crossing the road..Yes, it was to get to the other side, haha.. And to join the other two that were laying in the grass next to the road.   We saw three together..Cool sighting..

 Here are two Dusky Grouse, even though one looks like a log behind the first one..Can you see them both? Their nest is a scrape on the ground concealed under a bush or log.. They eat pine and fir needles.. UGH, how appetizing is that?

Nap time for this Dusky Grouse.. Females will leave the males territory after mating, I guess daddy does not help with the young. I hope you enjoyed my wild bird post..


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 both of our hosts... Michelle for Nature Notes and our host Stewart of Wild Bird Wednesday.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!