This is a continuation of my original thread entitled "A Walk Around the Lake". The original thread was getting quite lengthy. Here is a link to that thread in case one is interested.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/576097
The weather here in Maryland this weekend was fantastic. I took advantage of it and hit the trails both days. Here are a few new photos to begin this thread.
The first is a photo of a female Baltimore Oriole busy at work preparing a new nest.
Here she is taking a little break from nest building while the male watched from a distance.
Here he is ... "supervising" !!!
Another photo of him relaxing in the sun ...
The Red-Winged Blackbirds can be constantly heard and seen nearby ....
The Eastern Phoebe is busy hopping from branch to branch near the water edge
The Yellow Warbler moves quickly among the tree branches so one must be quick to take a photo. What a beautiful bird !!!
An Orchard Oriole just taking flight ....
The Great Egret's have returned ....
WOW, they are all beautiful. Been watching a pair Of scarlet Tanagers build their nest here at the house. What fun it is to see the pic's of the Orioles.
An Osprey against the bright blue sky ....
A little and colorful Barn Swallow ....
A little Chipmunk checking things out ....
A House Finch ....
Cedar Waxwing ....
Another Osprey photo ....
Yellow-Rumped Warbler ....
All beautiful pictures, as usual! I especially loved the yellow warbler and that chipmunk...precious! I wish we had chipmunks here. Where are you takimgg these pictures? Meaning are you home or out in the field?
Thanks, gldandrews and Floridian. All of these photos were taken this weekend at Centennial Lake in Columbia, MD. It is a 54 acre lake with a 2.4 mile paved loop around it. It is a great place to get your walking exercise while viewing various kinds of wildlife. Although I accommodate birdlife at home to the extent that I can, I would never see most of these species at home and I am only about 10 miles away. Plus, I prefer wildlife photos in it's more natural habitat, when possible.
The Patuxent Research Center is about 20 miles away which I also visit periodically. They have 3 tracts, one of which is off-limits to visitation since it is where they raise the endangered Whooping Crane.
Thanks, again.
Thanks Linth, It's certainly a great place for photos!
We live about 50 miles south of Chassahowitzka where one of the Ultralights bring the young Whoopers. I keep saying we need to go up and watch but we all know how that goes... The park is accessible by boat only so the birds are far more protected than in a mainland park.
Floridian, last year, I did get to see one of the Ultralights (on the ground) and one of the Whooping Cranes during a guided bus ride through the Central Tract at Patuxent. Hopefully, you have seen the video of their trip between Wisconsin and Florida, led by the ultralight. It would be great to see the action in person. Here is a link to a PBS video.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/flightschool/
Today, I had a new visitor to my backyard, namely, the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak. I usually see them for a day or two in the Spring and then again in the Fall.
And, the backyard resident, Northern Cardinal, was not very happy with the new visitor ...
Wouldn't you just love to know what the cardinal is saying?? LOL
When you saw the ultralight did you see the person in the Whooper suit? What they do is so awesome. I have seen a couple of programs about the migration flights and it truly is amazing that it is helping so much. Do you know what the last WC count was? I think the last I heard was just over 400...
linth-- marvelous pics! What a wonderful walking and birding spot! Thanks for posting! t.
Floridian, I was there. I heard what the Cardinal said but I can't repeat it on Dave's Garden !!!
When I saw the ultra-light it was just parked at their facilities. I think the current population is between 450 and 475. I did see at the link below, where the Patuxent Research Center here in Maryland had 33 eggs this Spring. The following link is interesting and very informative.
http://www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html
Thanks, Tabasco ... It is a fantastic place. Beautiful surroundings, easy walking and more than enough territory to cover in one day (or until my legs give out).
This message was edited May 4, 2006 8:20 PM
Thank you, thank you, thank you. So great to get such a beautiful preview of birdlies! So great to see them all. Wow. Happy here.
Thanks, boojum ... This weekend, I saw my first Canada Gosling. The weather has been accommodating and I saw a number of firsts (for me) for 2006.
Another Gosling photo ...
Canada Goose in flight. Note the band on the right leg ....
Green Heron .... my first sighting in 2006.
I came eyeball to eyeball with this whitetail deer ....
Female Cardinal in flight ....
Baltimore Oriole in flight ....
I'm still sorting through this weekend's photos but here is another 2006 first for me .... the Blue Grosbeak. That's all for now .... need to identify some of the warblers I saw. I also had an Indigo Bunting visit my backyard feeder this weekend for the first time ever.
Talk about "wild life" .... While walking around the lake on Saturday, I just happened to observe the following .... I didn't stick around to see the feathers fly !!!
.. LOL ..
That last 'captioned' image, is the best one yet, Linth .. truly the best'un!!
Am luvin' all of the spectacular shots you're posting!
I may not reply for each or for days on in - but rest assured, these ol eyes are seeing 'em and am thoroughly loving your sharing the miraculous beauty you are blessed to see .. above, across from, and along your (obviously) wonderful walks ...
((huggerooners))
- Magpye
Ooooooooh Linth, these pictures are breathtaking as usual. I have been 'struck dumb' by the fabulous one of the green heron and the cardinal getting uppity.
Just love Mrs. Swallow giving her other half GBH of the earhole, LOL
Thanks for sharing all your wonderful pictures, they're always such a treat for me because it's the nearest I'll ever get to seeing these birds.
I do so love your photographs :)
Terri
Thanks Magpye and Terri. I take a lot of wildlife photos so I try to be somewhat selective in what I post here. I sometimes feel that I may be posting too many photos but I like to share the enthusiasm that I get from my weekly walks with nature. I'm just glad others enjoy them, also. Each day provides me with a new challenge to capture something elusive and/or improve upon the photo of a particular specie already in my archives.
Pictures can truly be worth a thousand words. When I first viewed the following simple photo, it spoke volumes. I mostly saw lonliness. I then saw that the grass may or may not be greener on the other side of the fence. I wondered what that little Sparrow was thinking. And, I could go on and on ....
A Tree Swallow giving me the ole' eyeball ....
A photo of an Eastern Bluebird that I took a few weeks ago ...
