Magnolia Warbler

Isn't he just so handsome! As I was taking photos of this warbler, after having encouraged it to show itself with my 'pishing", I was thinking, "a lifer" for me, but at the same time the name Magnolia Warbler was fainting pushing the boundaries of my memory. I realized I had seen this warbler species once before, but I hadn't gotten any pictures of it, and without pictures I often second guess my observations when checking out field guides later. This little bird was very busy flying from branch to branch and for a while I wasn't sure I would be able to get its photo at this sighting either... but patience finally won out.

This is a male Magnolia Warbler.

Project Black: Take Seven

This little black spider was definitely lurking, hidden down within this leaf and I'm sure expecting some other unsuspecting creature to come by, instead of me with my camera. Do you think its eyes are reflecting surprise?

.

If you would like to know more about Project Black you can check it out at Anna's blog by clicking right HERE. You can also find lots of other interesting Project Black postings there too.

Z is for Zebra Butterfly: ABC Wednesday

This is a Zebra Butterfly photographed in the Florida Keys during the early 2000's with my first digital camera, a Sony Mavica..

My appreciation and thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt's Place for hosting ABC Wednesday. To view more ABC Wednesday posts please click on the link.

Project Black: Take Six

The closest I can come to identifying this creature is just calling it a very tiny, shiny, black beetle. I found it, along with several others, crawling all over my Obedient plants in my garden.

If you would like to know more about Project Black you can check it out at Anna's blog by clicking right HERE. You can also find lots of other interesting Project Black postings there too.

Closeup Views in My Garden: for Ruby Tuesday

Using a macro lens has introduced me to closer, fascinating views in my garden. The photo above shows an intimate view of a pollen laden Tiger Lily and below a beautiful iridescent winged creature explores the terrain of a Rudbeckia blossom.

.
To check out other Ruby Tuesday postings, just click here, or click on the ruby on the side bar. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this site.

Primrose Moth: Schinia florida

When I first saw a Primrose Moth from a distance, sticking out of the blossom of a Common Evening Primrose flower , I thought I had discovered a new wildflower. It was only when I got up close that I realized that it was a beautiful pink and white moth! So every year since then, as soon as Common Evening Primrose begins to bloom along the roadsides I immediately start checking the blossoms for Primrose Moths. Last week I found one in the first blossom I looked at! And then I found several others as well.

Wildflower Predictions: One Single Impression

.
This photo-haiku was created in response to the word, 'myth', which is this week's prompt at One Single Impression. For more poetry on this theme please visit the hosting site.

Yellow-collared Scape Moth or Virginia Ctenucha?

I think this is a very interesting looking moth. I found this species on a patch of Black-eyed Susans and also on the leaf of a Common Milkweed plant. The Yellow-collared Scape Moth and the Virginia Ctenucha are very similar looking and I am not sure which one this is.

Red-eyed Vireo

I almost missed this one, and its a life bird for me! Yesterday I first heard, then saw this very noisy bird near the top of a tall Oak in the same location where I had seen a Philadelpia Vireo last year. I am not at all familiar with vireos and so thought this one was probably a Philadelpia as well. As I seldom use binoculars it wasn't until I zoomed in on a downloaded photo at home that I saw its red eye! Then I looked carefully for other distinguishing features of the Red-yed Vireo and saw its gray crown with a dark border lining it and pale yellow markings on its undertail and sides. This sighting is a welcome addition to my life list and my second vireo sighting.

Canada Geese Families

I went out early yesterday morning around six to get ahead of the humidity and heat of the days we have been experiencing all week. I hadn't been to my favourite pond/lake area for a while and so I drove to that location. I found Cedar Waxwings and Canada Geese there. At first glance I saw a few Canada Geese very quietly swimming about in a patch of Pickerel Weed near the shore, then glancing further out I could see a flock of 15 or so. The group gradually rearranged itself and I could see that it was two families. One grouping with seven goslings and the other with seven. At first glance I did not notice a size difference but as each group lined up behind the taller Goose in the lead I realized I was watching two families of teen aged sized young ones. I thought the numbers were quite amazing too, as one family had seven survivors in there brood and the other had six.

Northern Flicker

Yesterday, while out walking along a narrow strip of meadow beside the river, we saw a Northern Flicker flying low towards us and we were a bit disappointed that it continued on a distance before landing, too far from us to take a picture of it.Having forgotten about the Flicker we were delighted upon our return homeward to find it where it had landed, standing beside an ant hill, which is their food of choice. Its distinctive markings told us that it was a female Yellow-shafted Northen Flicker. Its grey crown, brown face, red nape crescent, black crescent on its breast are all distinctive markings of both the male and female but the male also has a black malar, which this bird was lacking. In the east we have the Yellow-shafted version of the Northern Flicker, while in the west the Red-shafted version dwells. Where does the naming of yellow-shafted come from? The origin of this distinctive naming was immediately understood as this flicker took off in flight!

Y is for Yellow Warbler: ABC Wednesday

The red stripes on the breast of this little Yellow Warbler identifies it as a male. I was very pleased to have captured its graceful wing spread as it moved from one branch to another.

My appreciation and thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt's Place for hosting ABC Wednesday. To view more ABC Wednesday posts please click on the link.

Osprey: for Ruby Tuesday

Yes, I do have a 'ruby coloured' subject for this post but while I am getting to it I have changed this picture shown below from a black and white Osprey flying through a blue sky to one of warm, reddish, sepia tones; just to stay within the guidelines of Ruby Tuesday. Osprey are frequently seen over our river and if I cared to take the time to look for one they could easily become a daily sighting. Osprey are seasonal and usually return to our area sometime in early April. I am not sure when they leave but mentioning my sighting of one last fall on October 24 to a seasoned birder, he remarked that that was late for one still being around.
I loved the colour and motion of this photo and it stayed in my mind. Later on in the fall I decided to try and capture this sense of mood and motion and colour on canvas, and below is the result, painted in acrylics. I thought this would be a very colourful 'Ruby Tuesday' entry as the reds are so very intense.
.
To check out other Ruby Tuesday postings, just click here, or click on the ruby on the side bar. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this site

Moose

The Moose is the tallest mammal in North America and the largest member of the Deer Family. A male Moose can weigh up to 1600 pounds! More detailed information about Moose can be found at Nature Works. On Saturday we came upon this one as it was feeding along the roadside. Moose vehicle collisions are extreme hazards along our highways and caution must always be exercised when encountering these large mammals. I used a large zoom lens which allowed for a closer image.

I think this was a young bull calf and the budding antlers that it displayed are 'button antlers'.

Shuttered Windows: One Single Impression

capturing image

shutters within my camera

close nature's window

.

These lines and image were created in response to the words, 'through a window', which is this week's prompt at One Single Impression. For more poetry on this theme please visit the hosting site..

.

Yesterday I chanced upon a female Mallard and her young brood of nine and captured their images through my camera lens, my window on nature.

Sightings Along the River

This is part of a public meadow that I like to walk in as often as possible for it is most always full of butterflies and skippers. And just beyond the edge of the meadow is the river. I always stop there on the riverbank, before I turn and head for home, and check the river for possible sightings of Common Mergansers, or maybe an Eagle, or Osprey flying overhead following the river's course. Sometimes I might see a Great Blue Heron. Today I was lucky for first I saw a female Common Merganser and her babies, and then when I looked upstream I saw a White-tailed Doe with two fawns feeding along the river's edge. No words are needed to describe the beauty of this sighting while they stood in the morning sunlight.

Visiting Cat

There is one four legged creature that is a frequent visiter to our bird feeder area that I have neglected to post photos of. Usually instead of taking its picture I try to shoo it away! Cats and birds don't mix and I figure this one has a home somewhere nearby so does not need to hang around mine. But when I watched it the other day, through my window, I had to take a moment and admire its handsomeness. There is something about a cat that draws you to it and I think that this one had noticed me in the window and decided to give its most appealing pose.

Tree Swallows Ready to Leave Home

A parent's work is never done while the little ones still live at home. These young baby Tree Swallows are about ready to fledge and every day now, at least one, sometimes two or even three spend much of their waking hours with their heads sticking out of their bird house waiting for food to be delivered to them! I am fortunate to have a grandstand seat to all of the action each year as this Tree Swallow house is in our own garden.

Lepidotera and Wildflowers for Ruby Tuesday

Orange Hawkweed is probably my favourite wildflower and it was a beautiful sight when I saw this Northern Crescent feeding upon one.

The ruby colour is not as obvious in this photo but if you look very carefully you can see the ruby-tinged pointed edges of this Bunch Berry blossom. I think this moth may have been sleeping.
.
To check out other Ruby Tuesday postings, just click here, or click on the ruby on the side bar. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this site