Star flowers everywhere

I went for a walk this morning in a stand of old Pines trees locally known as, yes, you guessed it, "The Pines."  The forest floor of the Pines is covered with Pine needles and old leaves, and wildflowers.  Today I found many beautiful Star Flowers there!

  My walk was accompanied with the cheerful sounds of warblers playing their tatalizing games of" hide from the camera." The air was filled with fragrance from the many wild trees sharing their beautiful blossoms like this wild apple tree growing from the hillside by the river.

And what can be more beautiful than the bountiful presence of dandelions in their many stages of growth and regeneration?

It is a wonderful day today.  Me and my camera plan on spending a lot of it outdoors.  maybe I can catch some of those elusive yellow butterflies.  I hope so. Have a great day everyone!

Reflections of Woodstock, NB for Weekend Reflections

The town of Woodstock, New Brunswick is reflected so prettily in the Upper Sint John River in Carleton County.
Weekend Reflectionshttp://newtowndailyphoto.blogspot.com/:is a meme where you can view beautiful reflections captured by others. Just click on the logo on the right to see what others have captured with their cameras. Today promises to be a fine sunny one, I hope you fare as well with your weekend weather.

Looking Around Outdoors.

I discovered on my evening walk that a Cliff Swallow has built its home and taken up residence in it across the street from me.  You can see  the mud outline above its nest the remnants of last year's nest.Usually they also build around the corner of thebuilding.  The old nest at that location was taken down last fall by the owners of the building after it was vacated.  I shall have to watch there for their rebuilding.  They are quite industrious birds building their nest of mud  layered together one row on top of each other.                                           

I also found quite a springy , green grasshopper on the railroad ties as I was walking alongside the rail tracks

 

I also noticed that the Lupines are beginning to come into bloom.  Soon the gully between the railroad tracks and the parking lot above will be full of their colourful spikes.  There is so much to check up on and see. I shall have to retrace this walk early tomorrow morning.  Until then.  Ann. 

Flowering Trees for Outdoor Wednesday

Its that time of year again when our backyard trees just ooze beauty, fragrance and pollen!  The pollen gives me allergy problems, but the beauty  is so spirit uplifting. Above is my most favourite.  We just bought this tree last year and have been awaiting its remembered beauty all winter long..  Its an ornamental flowering Japanese Cherry and is very beautiful in its pink softness.
Another ornamental tree is our flowering crabapple.  We have three of these, one of which is a weeping variety.  They are just coming into blossom now and their beauty is unparalleled in our backyard..

Annother prennenial favourite is the Llac.  Ours are about in mid-bloom right now.Soon they will be decorated with feeding Swallowtail butterflies which it attracts in numbers each year.

 To more cherry species are sharing their blossoms in our back yard.  An old favourite of mine which we have had for several yaers now is this Purple Sand Cherry.

 

And this last cherry though not least in its beauty will bear luscious beautiful looking fruit, tho not so great tasting as it is a sour Cherry and the birds devour them as soon as they ripen.

Bordering our property are a line of Apple trees belonging to our neighbour.  Each year it is a treat to watch Cedar Waxwings eating the blossom petals.  Although the blossoms are blooming now, I haven't seen any waxwings feasting there yet this year.

Outdoor Wednesday http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/ is a delightful meme that invites you to share the outdoors with others. The theme encompasses the outdoors, a topic within the theme of your choosing. to learn more of this meme or to share your view of the outdoors please click on the 'outdoor Wednesday' logo on the right of this page. Happy Wednesday outoor gathering to all

Wow! Is his face red, A Ring-necked Pheasant for Ruby Tuesday!

While driving along the High Marsh Road one day last week while crossing the Tantramar Marshes near Sackville, Nb. I was hoping to see a Ring-necked Pheasant which I often see there.  Finally deciding it was not my day to see a Pheasant.  I finally saw one strutting across a plowed field towards me.  I stopped and got out of my car and the Pheasant stopped also and left speeding across the field in the opposite direction.  The pictures are not good but do allow for you seeing the red face of the male.This is a beautiful bird and the red face is usually so outstanding.  I was semi disappointed with my sighting, I saw one! but did not get a good photo.  Oh well, perhaps I will have better luck next time.
just before

Just before leaving the marshes, driving slowly before entering the Wheaton covered bridge therecrossing the Tantramar River..

I spied a dark shape in the grass which showed some

red.  A Pheasant? maybe?YES!I determined the best way I knew for sure was to get out of my car.    and.  sure enough.It was a pheasant I could see as  It took of across the road away from me.My apologies for the not so clear pheasant photos. I have an affection for Pheasants as it is an ancestral name.  My great, great greatgrandfather Stephen Pheasant was a singer at Peterborough Cathederal in England and he and his wife are buried in the grounds there,  Their orphaned children made their way to Canada together and settled, making their homes in this area. So that is my Pheasant story today.




Happy Ruby Tuesday to all. Ruby Tuesday is a meme hosted by Mary, the Teach, that celebrates red. To see more contributions to this meme or to share your own red for
Ruby Tuesday please click on the HIGHLIGHTEDRuby Tuesdaywords on this page .

The yellow bill of a Sora for Mellow Yellow Monday

What excitement and joy I felt when I first saw this Sora a couple of years ago at the Waterfowl Park in Sackville, NB. Its the delight of discovery, knowing you are looking at something you've never seen before! You can learn more about this small marsh bird by clicking here:http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sora/id

Happy Monday to all. To view a wonderful variety of yellow-themed photos from other bloggers around the world, just click on the link below
mellow yellow

Rodora Blossoms for Today's Flowers

I learned something new today:! The name of theses beautiful, rosy, purplish flowers.  I remember watching for these flowers every year as a child to come into bloom.  I had always known them as June flowers.I think thats what everyone around here called them.  A couple of years ago I searched for their name, finding nothing named June flowers.  I had seen these Rodoras in bloom for over a couple of weeks now and had taken a few pictures of these old floral seasonal friends.  During March I had bought a new book titled: Wildflowers of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island by Mary Primrose and Marian Munro, published by:Formac Publishing Company Limited, Halifax.  #This morning my husband was browsing through the book when he came upon my  previously misnamed June Flowers., and thus we discouvered these rosy purplish blossoms were called Rhodora.(Rhododendron canadense) It is a wiry shrub found in roadside ditches, swamps and bogs, growing to be about a meter or more high. The* Rodora plant is closely related to ornamental Azaleas and Rhododendrons
* source  p.22,"Wildflowers,Mary Primrose and Marian Munro

Thank you to Luiz,and Denise of Todays Flowers, for this opportunity to share beautiful flowers with others. For more flower photos please click HERE.

a seascape in oils for Scenic Sunday

If these two photos look very similar and perhaps a bit familiar you may have seen the photo that I had posted last week for Scenic Sunday at.http://naturetales.blogspot.com/2010/05/watching-tide-come-in-for-scenic-sunday.html The first picture on this page is the one that I had posted last Sunday.  The second photo on this page is of aN oil painting that my brother, Roger had painted  from my last week's  photo posting.  Using the painting style of "photo realism"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photorealism I think that Roger did a fine job as he pursues his retirement hobby and interest in oil painting. I have another of his paintings to share another day of a handsome Hooded Merganser which he painted, then he took a photo of his merganser painting, made it into a postcard and sent it to me by snail mail . Roger is very creative and inventive! I really enjoy your seascape! , You have captured well the mood of the scene! Roger.


Scenic Sunday:a meme  of beautiful scenery. To learn more about scenic Sunday please go to:http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/ or to post your own contribution, please click on the link within this post.

Shadows along the boardwalk for Shadow Shot Sunday

The boardwalk at the Sackville Waterfowl Park is a lovely place to walk as you are very close to the water and the bird life there.  Red-winged Blackbirds and Tree Swallows abound as well as ducks and a few Canada geese.  You're never sure what you might find there.  One of my lucky finds there once was a Sora which will be the focus of Mellow Yellow Monday for tomorrow.

To learn more of Shadow Shot Sunday http://heyharriet.blogspot.com/and perhaps to make your own contribution please click on the icon on the right sidebar of this page to go to the meme homepage. Happy Shadow watching to all.

Ring-necked Duck for Camera Critters

I have been away for a few days and during that time visited the Sackville Waterfowl Park at Sackville New Brunswick.  This is a delightful place where one can walk over the water and marsh areas

along boardwalks and view the variety of birds there.  I chanced upon this handsome male Ring-necked Duck there.(please double click to enlarge the above photo for a better view of this duck.)

Critters is a meme that features critters, any kind, any size. To see more of this meme please click on the CC logo which can be found on the right sidebar on this page or pleaseclick here.http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/

Reflections in the Saint John for Weekend Reflections

These shore lined reflections seen in the Saint John River at Sheffield make route #105 a very scenic highway to follow.

Weekend Reflectionshttp://newtowndailyphoto.blogspot.com/:is a meme where you can view beautiful reflections captured by others. Just click on the logo on the right to see what others have captured with their cameras. Today promises to be a fine sunny one, I hope you fare as well with your weekend weather.

A yellow Wooly caterpillar for mellow yellow Monday

I found this little fellow, all so mellow yellow in my garden. I think it is called ayellow wooly bear caterpillar and when it completes its metamorphosis it will be a Virginian Tiger Moth http://butterflies-seen.blogspot.com/2007/07/virginian-tiger-moth-and-yellow-bear.html I have included the url of photo of a Virginian Tiger Moth on another of my blogs, Butterflies seen.  This was ny first caterpillar sighting this spring,.

Happy Monday to all. To view a wonderful variety of yellow-themed photos from other bloggers around the world, just click on the link below
mellow yellow

WAtching the tide come in for Scenic Sunday

At Saints Rest Beach, Saint John , New Brunswick... gulls and tide


Scenic Sunday:a meme  of beautiful scenery. To learn more about scenic Sunday please go to:http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/ or to post your own contribution, please click on the link within this post.

the stillness and solitude of weekend reflections

White-crowned Sparrow for Camera Critters

Its naming lies in the white stripes on its crown.  I sighted one in Bird Alley earlier this week and I was delighted.  This little migratory visitor doesn't drop by all that often.  I haven't seen one in my feeder area for the past two springs, so that is why its appearance was such a delight!My first sighting of it proved to be rather frustrating as it was very elusive, as soon as it appeared I was at the window with my camera and then it was gone as quickly as it appeared.  So scarce was its showing itself that my husband didn't see it until yesterday.  Today I was lucky.  It seems they  (I have discovered there are two of them)

have become more comfortable and adjusted to their surroundings,  Today I was able to take several pictures of themOne must be careful not to confuse a White-crowned Sparrow with a White-throated Sparrow as seen in the picture below.  Both sparrow species have white stripes on their heads. The white-throated sparrow wears a white bib at its throat, thus its name; 'white-throated.  Also this species has yellow lores above its eyes at the beginning of two of its white stripes on its head.  The differences in their appearances is easy to note once you know what to look for. I am very happy that both sparrow species have made an appearance at our Bird Alley location this spring.Camera Critters is a meme that features critters, any kind, any size. To see more of this meme please click on the CC logo which can be found on the right sidebar on this page or pleaseclick here.http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/

Swimming against the current for watery Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday

This is the scene that awaits the hundreds of gaspereau striving to make their way up stream to return to their spawning grounds. you can see them weaving their way through the falls and rapids.

Sometimes you can see a flash of silver telling you that they have flipped over as they float back down over the falls that they have just encountered.

                                                        This one has made it through.!

When I go to the falls I wander around the woods there

 looking for wildflowers like the purple violets above.

Yesterday I found Wood Anemone in bloom.

Waterty  Wednesdayhttp://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/ is a delightful meme where you can enjoy almost any aspect of water scenes or activity. This meme offers a wide choice of topic. To view contributions of others or to post your own contribution, please click on the Watery Wednesday
icon on the right sidebar on this page and enjoy. A Happy Wednesday wish to all!

Outdoor Wednesdayhttp://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/ is a delightful meme that invites you to share the outdoors with others. The theme encompasses the outdoors, a topic within the theme of your choosing. to learn more of this meme or to share your view of the outdoors please click on the 'outdoor Wednesday' logo on the right of this page. Happy Wednesday outoor gathering to all

Do geese sunbathe?

I wasn't sure what this large creature was as I saw it sprawled out on the end of this small island of earth in the middle of the pond..It looked very large!  Its that kind of day.  I myself took advantage of the sun's warmth and succumbed to the invitation from my porch swing to have a lie down in the sun; there is nothing more soothing or luxurious on  a warm spring day.  We all know that dogs and cats  and other animals love to lie in the sun.  What about birds?  I never thought of it before.As this large creature raised its head I could see that it was a Canada Goose. I kinda of think of this Canada as a friend for I know where to find it andI see it often in this pond.  It only raised its head but did not move any further than that. It is always by itself, always alone. I find it interesting to think that it may have been sunning itself.??