Coneflowers in the light

A Buttetfly Shadow for Shdow Shot Sunday

A Mourning cloak butterfly and its shadow
y appreciative thanks to Tracey, at Hey Harriet, the host of Shadow Shot Sunday for this interesting idea; for more information on this shadow meme,please click on the icon in the side bar.

Young Robin outside my window

While talking om the telephone I looked out the window and saw this handsome young Robin looking in at me. Fortunately for me it stayed quite a while(long enough for me to find my camera in a hurry.) I haven't taken any pictures for quite a dew days as I am coping with a bout of sciatia :-(, and haven't been getting around much lately.so it was a real highlight to see this bird. It really gave a boost to my spirits. With the growing development of a beautiful red breast, there is no doubt that this is a young Robin.

A Raccoon Family crossing the road

While out looking for a yard sale this morning, we came upona raccoon family crossing the road.
There were three young ones if we consider that the smaller ones were this year's babies. The adult was in the lead which I would guess was the mother raccoon.They hurried across the road in front of our vehicle and all made it safely to the other side. Upon checking the side of the road that they had crossed to we saw four raccoons there together. A family we assumed!
And the picture above shows a bit of sibling togetherness!.. so sweet and cuddly looking.

But they did not stay there as the adult raccoon urged them on and the four continued on for more adventures of the day.

A Feeding Robin For World Bird Wednesday

This picture above, taken in October 2008 is the kind of picture I was hoping for when I saw a Robin fly into our Mountain Ash tree one day last week. the robin's mouth was full but not with what I had expected.It had a grasshopper in its mouth!. It definitely was having a protein lunch. I was surprised when I downloaded the picture. I had expected to see its mouth full of berries.I have never seen a Robin eat a grasshopper before!And the Robin ate it or swallowed it whole. When first looking at the picture I wondered if the bird had sprouted whiskers? But no, it was having a grasshopper lunch.


Got pictures of birds you would like to share? Why not post them on Worldbird Wednesday? http://pineriverreview.blogspot.com/To find out how, please scroll down the right hand side of this page until you come to the worldbird logo, click on it and follow the directions from there

G is for grasshopper for ABC Wednesday Round 9

G is for Green Grasshopper

Can you see it? Perhaps this grasshopper didn't mean to seek out a camouflaged location on this old railroad tie, but it worked

Grasshoppers

As the summer season progresses I notice changes in the plants and small creatures that I see along the trails and paths that I follow each day.

In July, most morning walks were interrupted by my stopping to take pictures of Skippers and Fritillaries; then Common Wood-nymphs, Monarchs, Painted Ladies and Viceroys appeared. Cabbage Whites and Sulphurs started alighting on vegetation long enough for me to catch their images with my camera; last weekend I saw a Milbert's Tortiseshell ( in 2006 when this was written)Then gradually I noticed changes. During the past couple of weeks I seldom saw Skippers anymore and fewer butterflies. However now I am often alerted with a dry, sharp "click-click" sort of sound and I see many flying dark wings with light borders crossing my paths. Grasshoppers. There seem to be many and they jump and fly about as I walk along . I don't know their special names but I do have a few pictures of them to share.

ABCWednesday is hosted by Mrs. Nesbitt. Each week a different letter is featured. It goes in alphabetical order and next week is the letter 'g'. I have never photographed a giraffe before it won't be giraffe,so I'm not sure yet, what 'g' topic I will feature. If you would like to contribute to ABC Wednesday , you may do so by locating the meme here:http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

A Robin and Mountain Ash berries for ruby Tuesday

Soon this Mountain Ash tree will be stripped of its berries and I hope my camera and I see the action and feathered visitors. It only takes a day for the berries to be devoured and the tree to be bare of its berries.
We had a huge Mountain Ash tree at out previous home at Hawkshaw and each year we waited for a huge flock of evening Grosbeaks to descend upon the berries. there used to be so many birds, it was a seasonal delight that we anticipated and enjoyed.
Here at our present home we get mainly Robins and sometimes Cedar Waxwings feasting on the red berries of this magnificent tree, which was a gift to us from our son Davis several years ago.

Got photos with red? Why not share them by posting them to
Ruby Tuesday. To find this delightful red focused meme, please click here.http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Cloudy skies for Skywatch Friday

A beautiful blue sky filled with fluffy clouds accompanied us all the way home from the superstore after grocery shopping. My camera was enticed.










A happy day for everyone and have a great weekend please.
Skywatch Friday is a long standing meme where sky views from all over the world are posted at:
http://skyley.blogspot.com/Why not participate as well

F is for Frog for ABC Wednesday Round 9

Frogs have their beginnings as eggs and then they develop into the tadpole stage. It is while being a tadpole that the frogs arms and legs and lungs develop and the tadpole turns into a frog. Frogs are amphibians. Amphibians can breathe both on land and in water. My grandsons David and Jesse like frogs and I hope they enjoy this post for it is especially for them that I am posting it. They are fortunate that they have seen many frogs over the summer in a couple of ponds near their home. Frogs like to live in ponds. The soft mud in the bottom of ponds provide them with a place to spend the winter when they dig into the soft mud at the bottom of the pond and they spend the winter months there breathing very, very slowly while they sleep.

Boys, when spring comes again and the frogs have laid their eggs, which you will be able to see in your ponds, then the eggs will grow into tadpoles (some people call tadpoles, Pollywogs) and you will see the tadpoles swimming around in your pond.
There are different names for some frogs and the pictures of the frogs shown here, above and below these words, with the spots on them are called Leopard Frogs.
Another Leopard Frog. You can see that this frog has some green on its body also. I think this frog is quite handsome.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

I had forgotten that not all frogs live in ponds or watery areas and so was very surprised yesterday (2006)This information about the leopard frog is from a post posted in 2006. to see a Leopard Frog in my garden.

Upon doing some research I find that this species prefers to live in grassy or cultivated areas.

Leopard Frogs are usually from three to four inches in length and have interesting looking brown spots with light green outlining them. This frog had a nice 'grassy green' colour overall. The two ridges on this frog's back was really noticable



This green frog above really has its eyes wide open. Some people would say that a frog's eyes pop out. Not really but they are very big and bulging and noticeable and outstanding at times. All the better to see the flies with that they like to eat with their quick, sticky tongues.
This picture above and below is of a Green Frog. A green frog's upper jaw is green and it has striped bars on its legs. I saw a lot of green frogs when I visited with you and your family this summer.
A. Green Frog above. I took this picture at Jesse River's Pond, when we went there one day.
The rest of these frog pictures are of Bullfrogs. Bullfrogs are big and noisy The sounds they make are very loud. I think you also have bullfrogs in your ponds.
A bullfrog here is puffing up its throat.

Relaxing in the water.

.The lily pad of the Yellow Pond Lily aboveprovides ample seating for this resting frog.

ABC Wednesday is hosted by Mrs. Nesbitt. Each week a different letter is featured. It goes in alphabetical order and next week is the letter 'g'. I have never photographed a giraffe before it won't be giraffe,so I'm not sure yet, what 'g' topic I will feature. If you would like to contribute to ABC Wednesday , you may do so by locating the meme here:http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

decorative water glasses for Ruby Tuesday

I had gone to New Brunswick's largest flea market on the past weekend at Sussex, New Brunswick. One of my goals was to find an old series of water glasses with wildlife images on them. I didn't find the ones I was looking for but much to my pleasure I found three old glasses with beautiful, vibrant cardinals painted on them and here they are above, now in my china cabinet. I love them!

Got photos with red? Why not share them by posting them to
Ruby Tuesday. To find this delightful red focused meme, please click here.http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Tree Watching for sapsuckers

I spent some time this morning sitting in my back yard watching our Buckthorn Sea Marina Tree. This tree attracts many bugs and birds. My purpose in watching it this morning was in hopes in getting some photos of a sapsucker that I frequently see there. My patience was rewarded and more. I discovered that hummingbirds are attracted to that tree also.And finally my wait was rewarded and a sapsucker came along.( See the sapsucker in the picture below) Notice the holes drilled in the tree. This action is characteristic of a sapsucker. They drill holes in trees to collect sap which they drink. came along. I shall have to continue my watch in hopes of getting , clearer pictures as these ones I have below show the bird behind small branches, first it was in top of the branch and then under it.
But the biggest surprise and delight to my tree watching was this: A most beautiful Mourning Cloak butterfly!The butterfly then flew through our fence and landed nearby on some dry grass.What productive enjoyment that was; sitting with my camera watching our Buckthorn Tree. I think I may try that again. Have a great day everyone! A happy Sunday to all.