Wild Turkeys for Saturday Critters

Yesterday I was able to add a bird species to my life list.  Wild Turkeys were seen in my community. I had never seen Wild Turkeys before!  There were 5 of them all moving along

 together!  It was a lovely sighting!

When they left the property where we were viewing them, they walked along in a group on a path through a wooded area there!

I am linking today to viewing nature with Eileen.blogspot.ca

Red breasted Nuthatch for Saturday Critters

When we saw our first White breasted Nuthatch in Bird Alley, we kept hoping and watching everyday for a red breasted Nuthatch to appear and it finally did!

Its favourite choice of food is peanuts in our peanut feeder in our peanut feeder.

 and also I occasionally buy a cookie shape suet sort of feed in a net bag.  This is another favourite of this sweet little bird species.

I am linking today to Eileen'sSaturday's Critters which can be found at viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Which one???A deer in an Apple Orchard.

This orchard used to be fenced in, but the fence has been taken down and the local White-tailed Deer are taking advantage of the tasty treats. 
This first deer  picture shown below shows a deer with its tongue  out in anticipation of savouring a tasty apple!

"Ahha!  I think I will  choose this one!"

White-breasted Nuthatch for Saturday Critters

It was lovely this week to welcome a familiar bird species back to Bird Alley.  The peanut feeder was the object of enticement and  it was a definite bird high to spy a White-breasted Nuthatch feeding there.  It feeds daily , sometimes making several visits!  It is the best of viewing out my living room window. Our kitchen view is that of a little nuthatch exploring all of the grooved crevices on the big, thick , old trunk of an ancient Maple tree along our driveway.  Whatever the location, welcome dear little bird.  we love you!

I am linking this morning to Eileen's Saturday Critters. Thank you Eileen for this Saturday oppoertunity to share and post our nature observations here.

viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Riung billed Gull for Saturday Critters

An assortment of gulls can often easily be found  along the river where we go shopping for groceries.

Yesterday the stand our gull was this Ring-billed Gull shown below.

I am linking today to Eileen's Saturday Critters which can be found at:

viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Rain Clouds in the Sunrise for Skywatch Friday

We have had a very dry summer and our riverbed has been showing more riverbed than water and it was with welcome relief that  a rainfall warning was forecast in our weather forecasts.  On the morning of the predicted rain the sky told us of  a change and that was of the approaching rainfall.  A red sky in the morning gave us a warning and the soft looking dark rainclouds gave us hope of the possibility of a rise in our water levels in the river.

And just to illustrate the change in our river yesterday morning.

above, the river before the rain and shown  below,  the river after the rain!

I am linking today to Skywatch Friday which can be found at:

http:// skyley .blogspot.ca

Pegeons on a roof for Saturday critters

Pigeons on a roof!  Sure not an inspiring title you say.  But, look closely at the group below and you can see two almost all white pigeons.

Actually it might be more interesting to read about white doves!  for these pigeons are actually Rock Doves. About a couple of years ago I used to see an almost white Dove often, but then it seemed to have disappeared, but apparently the genes were strong and have survived and been passed on to these two almost white doves I saw today and who knows what combinations or patterns with white that I may see in the future?!. I shall try to keep this group in my sightings in future days.  For example also within this group today was a dark Rock Dove with a splash of white on its wing! fascinating, huh!?

What an interesting sighting this was this morning.The Gray Jay I had waiting fore todays post will just have to take a back seat to these beautiful white pigeons.

I am posting today to Eileen's Saturday Critters which can be found at viewingnaturewitheileen.,blogspot.ca

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone!

Lingering Wood Ducks

Although ts late in the year I am still finding Wood Ducks, though not many.  On Saturday last I found four ; 3 males and two females.

The most interesting thing about this duck sighting was the reflective water in the background. There it appeared to be perhaps  some sort of autumn Northern Lights representation and the floating leaves dotting the water could have been stars in the autumn night sky.   Whatever it appeared to be I was entranced with the scene portrayed there in the water

serving as a spectacular backdrop for the lingering Wood Ducks there.

Morning sunrise for Skywatch Friday

Last Monday I had taken an early drive to the river and I could see a slightly pinkish sky suggesting to me that the sunrise was soon to be expected. At first all I could see of any action was that of fog rising slowly from the river.

However the scene changed as soon as I had crossed the river.  The rising sun diffused the fog somewhat and created a scene of early morning beauty and tranquility.

Then the sun chose to visit with all of its strength and it coloured the early morning sky beautifully.

I am linking this morning to Skywatch Sunday which can be found at:http://skyley.blogspot.ca/

A Late Eastern Bluebird

A Late Eastern Bluebird

We don't usually have Bluebirds , especially in October!  but there is a Bluebird hanging around our yard which gives us tantalizing glimpses of its beauty now and then.  Like, on Sunday, we got a fleeting glimpse of it on the clothesline and earlier last week it was perched on a feeder hook in Bird Alley in clear sight! right in front of me!  These are unusual sightings for me at any time of the year.

Yesterday I spied bird movement in our Choke Cherry tree , which still has a few lingering berries on it.  I tried to take some pictures of the activity in the tree and I got some not so great pictures, of a Robin and a Cedar Waxwing and also of the two Bluebirds shown postedbelow.  I love them!

 

Two Almost all White Pigeons

I used to see a White Pigeon almost daily a couple or so years ago, But then I didn't see that pigeon anymore...until this morning that is.  I saw two almost all totally white pigeons feeding on the sidewalk with a few of their grey cousins and I managed to take a few pictures.  When they flew away  I think there were three of the white variety. I don't know what had happened to the white ones I used to see but the genes were strong and their uniqueness has been continued.  I am thankful for that on this Thanksgiving Monday here in Canada.

Its Pumpkin month!

Welcome to October , Folks.. This is the month when our world abounds with colour.. most outstanding of all is orange and leading the parade are large orange pumpkins on display at the local supermarket.  Here is Canada we have two seasonal celebrations where pumpkins  are often front and center on a certain special day.  Thanksgiving or Hallowe'en. A Thanksgiving dinner would be lacking without a traditional pumpkin pie being the highlight of the dinner... and of course what Hallowe'en celebration does not include that creative work of art? a Jack O' Lantern carved from a huge big pumpkin.  So make your choice early friends and neighbour as there are hundreds of those beautiful orange jacks or potential pies on display right now for your creative choice and sampling.  You can chose a suitable one which will yield a seasonal "yum, Yum" or a scary end of the month "EEk!  Your choice, folks!

 Have a happy seasonal October everyone!!

Robins feeding on Chokecherries for Saturday Critters

We have a tall Chokecherry tree which attracts many feeding birds. Recently , American Robins have been breakfasting on the berries there.

The delight the Robins are finding in  the berries is another reminder to me that I did not get around to making Chokecherry jelly again this year.   Hmmmm... Maybe next year?!

I do hope the Robins return to this tree another day as I love photographing them in this tree.  During October I will have many more occasions to take pictures of Robins feeding  in our yard as they will return to feed on the many rose hips on our bower and the beautiful, red, luscious Mountain Ash berries on our Rowan tree. We also have three ornamental crab-apple trees  which are  now covered with little red crabapples.  Harvest time is a wonderful time in our outdoors around here.

I am linking today to Eileen's Saturday Critters.  It can be found at 

viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Have a wonderful last day of September today folks.  May it be a favourable day of viewing nature for you. And  a mighty welcome to October tomorrow when my grandson D. Harvest celebrates his 13th birthday.

Ruffed Grouse

I am always hoping at this time of year that I see a Ruffed Grouse or Birch Partridge while driving along an old country dirt road and that is the sort of circumstance I was in when I spied this Ruffed Grouse crossing a dirt road in front of my car one day last week. Usually to my dismay as soon as the grouse is alerted to my car's presence it takes off, but not so on this occasion. this grouse just continued its walk to the roadside, then ambled off into the roadside vegetation as I got a couple of photos of this lovely bird.

Have a lovely day everyone!  Keep cool!

Yellow rumped Warbler

The flash of yellow on the rump of the small bird excited me.  I have been watching for this little warbler all summer but had not seen one until this September morning.  We have lots if little birds fliting around this morning but they are so small and fast that I have to take a picture and then study the foliage in the photo to try to find the bird.  In this case I studied the picture looking to find a dash of yellow and I found it twice in my pictures!

The yellow rump on the warbler above and below  is easily detected.
Thats all for today folks

Eastern Bluebirds for Saturday Critters

I remember as a child never seeing a Bluebird and being told that Bluebirds were not around anymore. I know now that Bluebirds are around occasionally but they are not frequent visitors in our yard.  I usually see one on our back fence at least one time every summer.  This year it was on May the 28th when I saw an Eastern Bluebird on our fence! What a wlcome, very lovely sighting it was! And so I was totally surprised earlier this week when downloading my photos from the day to discover a Bluebird with white spots upon its back! There had been many small birds feeding on a tall Choke Cherry Tree at the edge of our property and a few  birds were stopping to rest on the overhead power lines. I didn't know what species they were but took a few pictures from our upper deck. Shown below is what I saw when I downloaded my pictures of a bird on the power line!

                                       It was a juvenile Eastern Blubird that I had seen! I was delighted!!!!
I eagerly awaited the next day to try to see the Bluebird again, but there were no little birds feeding on the cherries on that day, However yesterday they were back! I took a few pictures of them actively eating at the cherries but there didn't seem to be any juveniles ( I did not see any white spots on the Bluebird's back, so I assume the birds feeding yesterday on the Choke Cherries were adult birds.I have posted a couple of pictures below that I had taken yesterday. The second picture shows a cherry in the bird's beak, so yes, Bluebirds feed on Choke Cherries!

I am linking today to Saturday Critters which can be found at: viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca. My appreciative thanks go to Eileen for hosting this weekly meme.

Eastern Blubirds for Saturday Critters

Black Ducks for Camera Critters

Ducks are becoming more difficult to find these days but there is one small pond where I can often catch a glimpse of a duck for as soon as my car approaches they scatter.  However one day this week I was able to capture a photo of one in flight as it was fleeing away and from the picture below I was able to id the duck as a Black Duck.  Its beautiful 'blue patch' was very recognizable!

I am linking today to Eileen's Saturday Critters which can be found at:

viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Ruby-throated hummingbirds for Saturday Critters

Since I had last posted hummingbird photos we have seen many at our feeders daily, and they are delightful to get photos of. Here are a few of my most recent ones:

I am linking this morning to Eileen's Saturday Critters which can be found at: http:viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

A wonderful day is wished to all on this cool second day of September.  School is just around the corner and as a retired teacher I shall wave to all of those yellow buses rolling down the highway on Tuesday morning.

Small Flock of Wood Ducks

I was so very pleased to find a small flock of Wood Ducks last Tuesday ( August 22) in a small pond nearby.  There were 4 or 5 or perhaps more.  I believe they were all males.  I was able to crop and edit one individual from the group.  this was an exciting find as I have not seen any Wood Ducks in this setting all summer, which was unusual.

Shown above is the small flock I saw on Tuesday

Above is one of the male Wood Ducks seen in the small flock.

Then hoping to find the group again I returned to the same location on Friday and oh, so lucky I saw a small group in the water again, but before I could take their picture in the water they took off and following are a few pictures I was able to capture of them in flight! 

Their take off was in a bit of a jumble, 

however they sorted themselves out in flight as they flew away

These pictures verify my original estimate that is was a small flock of four or five.

And now that I have downloaded and posted these photos I now have a desire to return to the location and see if I can find them again today.

Have a wonderful day everyone!