A catchup posting day

Sometimes I find that if I do not post almost immediately after downloading recent pictures then my photo files get backed up and often many do not get posted.
For example the deer photos in this White-tailed Deer Collage are from four different  downloads, Some one had seen and posted a picture of an almost all white deer in our area and I have been hoping that I might find it and get its photo, No such luck on my part however I do seem to encounter deer every time I go out looking for it.

.  Thus my recent results are in the collage posted below.

Many of my nature finds have been when I have been looking for something else.  When you know when something usually happens then a search is often initiated at that time.  As well as looking for white deer I have been looking for Snapping Turtles laying eggs recently for it is almost the time for their seasonal egg laying.

.  Earlier this week I was scanning a pond for these huge amphibians ( I have seen them in this pond other years,) I didn't see any turtles there but I did see  and hear quite a few noisy frogs.  The presence of so many frogs in the pond suggested to us that there were probably no snapping turtles in there.The

frog shown above was a handsome specimen of a frog which we had found in the pond:
I love to find American Bitterns as they are such a large bird.  Last week I found one along the shoreline of a small pond.  The Bittern didn't seem at all threatened by my presence but it did maintain its usual 'cautionary stance', that of pointing its long beak skyward.  I have heard that Bitterns take this positioning,  assuming that their long beak and striped body will help them take on a camouflage

appearance of a shoreline weed and thus blend into their surroundings.  Nope, it didn't work this time buddy!  I saw you! and so did my camera.
And lastly , but definitely not least as we haven't seen any hares a.k.a: rabbits recently, until yesterday that is.  This little one was standing on the roadside shoulder and it stayed there not moving as my husband brought our truck to a stop beside it. Unfortunately I could see that it was infested with a few ticks on its ears, face and back of its neck.  What a pretty little woodland creature this hare was. I do hope I see more of them in the coming  summer days ahead.

 And another beauty I want to share!  The wild Lupines are in bloom everywhere , along the roadsides, in empty fields, their colourful beauty is seen everywhere!  Another blue wildflower being seen is Blueflag, which is definitely a cousin of the Iris family. I must take a few pictures of blueflag in the coming days.  We now have an Iris in bloom in our garden.

                         Lupines growing along the railroad tracks.