Thursday, July 31, 2014

More from the weekend

Linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences  and NF Winged

For my Skywatch Friday and Good Fence post I am sharing these shots left from last weekend's visit to the nature center, mostly shots from our ride home and a stop for some corn at the local stand..

It was a white puffy cloud day, no humidity and a gorgeous day for our walk..Hubby and I enjoy our weekend walks, we get plenty of exercise and I get to do some birding..



More pretty skies, this is a scene from our ride home and it is also a scene I pass every day going to and coming home from work.. On the very bottom of this photo is a stone wall, I hope this counts as a fence shot too.




On the way home from work I pass this dead bare tree every day too for years now. I am amazed it is still standing..I think it is a neat tree, I am always checking it out expecting a bird to be sitting at the top..I think it makes a great fence shot for Tex's Good Fence meme. 



During our walk I watched two Eastern Kingbirds battling it out in tree with what I believe is an immature Baltimore Oriole.. The Kingbirds left, so I think that means the Oriole on the left won..


I believe this is an immature Baltimore Oriole or maybe a female?

 The Eastern Kingbird.  The bird on the right was feeding the one on the left, pretty sure it was a juvie.


The Eastern Kingbird, has a black head and white throat and long wings. You can not see it in this photo but the tip of its tail feathers are white..



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.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Vermilion Flycatcher

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes


For this week's wild bird I am sharing the Vermilion Flycatcher. One of my favorite sightings in Belize..  This was not my first sighting of this bird, they are my first photos of the pretty Vermilion Flycatcher. I actually saw it during our one day visit to Belize while we were on a April 2006 Western Caribbean cruise and a cave-tubing excursion.
This bird was seen during my birding tour near the Sittee River in Hopkins Belize.  Part of our tour included some birding along the road on the way to the river.. Whenever we spotted a bird we would stop to view the bird up close and take photo if we wanted.



The Vermilion Flycatcher is a stunning color unlike other drab flycatchers..The males are bright red and have dark brown plumage. They prefer open areas but usually near water. They eat insects such as flies, grasshoppers and beetles.






A different angle of the Vermilion Flycatcher showing dark brown plumage on it's back and wings. It Is a gorgeous bird and one of my many favorites.

 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 our host Michelle our host Stewart.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Bird & Blooms

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

I am sharing some of the birds and blooms we saw doing our walk at the local Irvine Nature Center in Maryland..


The trail from the parking lot starts off with a walk thru the woods. I like the texture of the bark on the tree. I am not sure of the structure in the small middle photo maybe it is a home built for the critters and birds to hide in and keep safe? The last bottom photo is one of two woodies we saw chasing each other around the tree.


The trail comes out of the woods to this open field, lots of wildflowers, a pretty sky. Just a gorgeous day for a walk.




 Along the meadow trail we saw lots of butterflies, dragonflies and birds..



 This was my first sighting this summer of the beautiful Monarch butterfly.. I do not remember seeing one Monarch last year..




 A few of the birds we saw were the Eastern Bluebird, American Robin and the American Goldfinch.


I love these Gaillardia blooms or Indian Blankets.


I hope you enjoyed my walk with the birds and blooms..Thanks for stopping by and for the 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 ahead!

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Saturday's Critters #34

Saturday's Critters #34


Happy weekend and welcome to Saturday's Critters!  I am looking forward to seeing what critter everyone has to share this week.. Ok, it's time to share your critters.

Last weekend, hubby and I visited a local park in Maryland called North Point State Park in Baltimore County. It has a wetland area known to attract great birds. I went mainly to see the Little Blue Herons that have been reported being seen at this park..


Above a Great Blue Heron, adult Little Blue Heron and a juvenile Little Blue Heron in the back.


One of my favorite herons the Little Blue Heron. I had no idea this local park had so many Little Blue Herons.. We will be returning to check out this park at another time..

The juvenile Little Blue Heron is white with greenish legs and feet. Their bills can have a black tip.


The Northern Water Snake looking very well fed..It had to be close to 5 feet long.


A cute frog, most of the frogs were jumping into the water when they saw us coming..


Another Little Blue Heron, aren't they pretty? 

An Osprey was also seen at the park,  we had an awesome couple of hours birding this park.. I hope you enjoyed my photos and post..





 Thank you for linking up to the critter party. I 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.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Weekend Walk

Linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences  and NF Winged

 These are some shots from our walk at the local nature center, I started off my post with the moon setting on the morning of t July 17th.



 I love taking shots of the moon from our deck..


The sun was up and I still had a good view of the moon.



We must have saw thousands of dragonflies  at the nature center. This one has a pretty blue sky behind it.


Put a fence around it! This looks like  a garden fenced off to keep the critters away?






We actually saw two Red-tailed Hawks flying around and making loud calls.



I love these white puffy clouds over the nature center field..




 The sky and some pretty yellow coneflowers..



This House Wren seemed upset I was taking photos near its birdhouse..



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.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Social Flycatcher & Boat-billed Flycatcher

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

For my post this week I am sharing two Belize birds..the Social Flycatcher and another Belize lifer the Boat-billed Flycatcher.




The Social Flycatcher at 6.3 to 7inches is the smallest out the three Flycatchers that look similar.. They are the Social Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee and the Boat-billed Flycatcher..  I have some shots of my   Great Kiskadee in Bermuda   to show more comparisons.






 The Social Flycatcher has yellow underparts, crown stripe and a white throat.




The Social Flycatcher has a small stubby bill.

 

These Social Flycatchers were trying to build a nest inside the umbrellas near the pool.





Going thru my Belize photos I just noticed I have another lifer the Boat-billed Flycatcher. This bird has a heavier and broader bill and is about 9.3 inches compared to the smaller Social Flycatcher which is 7 inches. I am sorry this shot is so fuzzy. It was taken from the lodge's restaurant and the bird was way down on the trees next to the river.. They are known to sit high in a tree to catch bugs..




This is the Great Kiskadee seen during my Bermuda trip.. a large flycatcher at 8.3 to 10 inches. Their wings and tail are brown with some rufous fringes..





As you can see these three flycatchers all look similar in colors, just different bills and sizes..starting on the left is the (4) Boat-billed Flycatcher, (5) Great Kiskadee and on the right is the (6) Social Flycatcher.

 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 our host Michelle our host Stewart.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Birds, Blooms & more

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 


I am sharing some images from my yard and more from our walk at George's Creek.



Some pretty lilies in our yard, blooming waterlily, blueberries and a sunflower..


I love this color, they are beautiful lilies.



My pretty Bluebird, hanging around making sure Momma is safe in the house with the babies.


I am not sure what this flower is called but we saw during our walk along George's Creek.. It is nice to take our walks along this trail and see different wildflowers blooming at different times.


A pretty flower,  a lumberjack at work, more pretties and the turkey feathers..


The juvie Titmouse can be pretty persistent with their..feed me..feed me..




I hope you enjoyed my birds and blooms..Thanks for stopping by and for the 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 ahead!

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Saturday's Critters #33

Saturday's Critters #33


Happy weekend and welcome to Saturday's Critters!  I always look forward to seeing everyone's cute critters.. Ok, it's time to share your critters.



 Before we left for our weekend walk I took some shots of our yardbirds.  Above is one of many of the Carolina Chickadees I see in the yard.


 The Ruby-throated Hummingbird sits on guard watching over his feeders.


 Ebony Jewelwing, the male has a metallic blue-green body..it lives near wooded streams and rivers..


One of several Great Blue Herons we saw during our George's Creek walk. Every time we walked near this Heron, it would fly further up stream. Till finally, it landed in a tree and we kept on walking along the George's Creek Trail. 



I hope your enjoyed my birds and the pretty Ebony Jewelwing.. I did not keep a list of birds..... but we saw and heard a lot of birds along the George's Creek trail..Seeing two Belted Kingfishers together and a few Wood Ducks were a treat. Another great weekend walk..









 Thank you for linking up to the critter party. I 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.

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a ha ppy new week! "One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day." "T...