Monarch Butterfly for Saturdsy Critters

For several years now we have been trying to grow Milkweed plants.  We have been able to grow the green leafy portion of the milkweed but up until this year we have not been able to produce anything on our own that flowers.  A few years ago we have noticed a Milkweed self starter plant growing in front of our garage step where the asphalt surface of our drive way meets at our step. This year the self starter Milkweed has blossoms on it! The plant is very hardy as I almost killed it the other day as I was getting my walker out of the garage and I knocked the walker over onto the Milkweed and the plant lay on the ground beside our garage step.  I picked up the stalk and carefully straightened it and it is still thriving!!!! thank goodness for that.

Above is the thriving self-starter Milkweed plant.

the most glorious event happened a couple of days ago!!  A Monarch Butterfly visited our Milkweed plaant.  The butterfly did not stop long enough for me to be able to get a good picture of it! and it was too hot at 34 degrees Celsius,  for me to sit outdoors and wait for it to return, however here are a few Monarch butterfly pictures of when it was buzzing around our own Milkweed plant!

                 

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

Have a most wonderful cool weekend everyone.

more deer

I took an early morning drive this first Sunday morning in July and saw a red Fox and a female white tailed deer in a meadow

.  the deer was feeding very close to the road and when I stopped my car beside it, it didn't run off. I thought it was an unusual pose to see that its ears were turned down  As I was leaving I saw more deer in the meadow further back and they were both looking in my direction.

Young Fawn for Saturday Critters

Its that time of year to keep a lookout for young babies of nature.  I have been hoping to see a young fawn and this morning I saw one.  I was driving down a country road and I spied an adult deer and a fawn wth it.

.  It appeared as if they were planning to cross the road so I slowed my car as I eased forward hoping not to scare them off and I pulled over to the roadside. I could see the young fawn beside its mother in the roadside grasses. Then the mother started across the road with the fawn close behind her.

then as most young are often curious, the fawn stopped midway across the highway and looked at my car. Perhaps

I should have attempted to frighten it so it could start to learn that crossing highways can be hazardous, but I just took its picture instead.
I am linking today to viewing Nature with Eileen which can be found at
viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Red fox with photo editing

 above is hown the photo edited version of the picture of the Red Fox shown below!

A Raccoon forSaturdayCritters

I didn't have any pictures to post this morning until movement outside my window caught my eye!  It was a hungry Raccoon trying yo get food from one of our hummingbird feeders.  Aha! so that is who has been emptying it every night when I do not bring it in.  When it saw that I had seen it, it dropped quickly to the ground and quickly squeezed its way out through our garden gate and then hustled itself across the highway. Bye, bye fellow.. get lost! be gone! we don't want you here, but as I was downloading my pictures I could see from a upstairs window that it has returned again to our yard!

The Raccoon on the ground in Bird Alley

The Raccoon squeezed through the gate to leave

The Raccoon at the end of our driveway before crossing the road

 I am posting this morning to Eileen's Saturday critters which can be found at viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Eatern bluebirds for saturday Critters

It is always a lovely surprise to discover bluebirds around our yard.  we don't see them often but this week a couple of bluebirds were showing much interest in our unoccupied Tree Swallow house. they would perch on the top of the house and sometimes go into the house itself. although we have not see these two bluebirds for the last couple of days.  However we think Bluebirds nest nearby \as last fall we saw Bluebirds around our choke cherry trees when the berries were very ripe.

                   seen above is a male Bluebird on top of our tree swallow house

                                              Bluebird shown above in the branches of our Choke Cherry Tree..

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

Sunning Painted Turtles

It is my delight these recent sunny days is to find Painted Turtles sunning themselves , often on islands.of Earth or mounds of grass.  their shiny domes really standout  with the sun reflecting from them 

seen above are six painted turtles on grassy mounds.  Look very carefully to the lower left of the picture and you will be able to detect three turtles there.

This picture above shows four Painted turtles.  I was so very pleased to see a small turtle included in the group.  They come in all sized.!

This Painted turtle chose a different sort of location. It had chosen to climb up midway on a brush pile.

.For others an island of earth is the preferred choice.  aTt first I only saw the turtle on the island but when editing this I saw the second turtle on the left... so move over and make room for two!.

This one coming out of the water has yet  to chose and settle into sunny location, but no matter where, I know its purpose will be to lie soaking up the heat of the sun.  Its another sunny day so I think I will go out with my camera and find some more turtles sunning themselves.  I know they will be out there!

INdigo Bunting in Bird Alley

On my morning's searching for some interesting bird I could find none.  So I was super extra pleased  in the early afternoon when I saw a handsome male Indigo Bunting in Bird Alley.  I was discouraged at first with the photo as it was washed with too much light but I tried some photo editing on it and I am fairly pleased with my results.  The beak is quite clear and it has a bit of bird seed between its beak. This handsome bird only stayed a moment, but we had one visiting Bird Alley last spring sometime in April and I am hoping that this is the same bird.  Last year it stayed around for a couple of days and so I am hoping that the one we had seen today will be back tomorrow.

Happy Birding everyone!

Painted Turtles

I am used to seeing a first spring Painted Turtle sometime in April, however I think that the flooding we have had this spring was a negative influence to the turtles crawling up out of the very, very deep water to sun themselves  There was very little on or near the water's surface for them to rest upon while sunning themselveson land or a rock.  Now that the waters have gone down I am able to detect a shiny shell now and then in the sun's glare and this weekend I got pictures of turtles climbing out of the water to a land surface. In the picture below are three painted turtles.  You can easily see two turtles coming out of the water,  but search for the third and you can see its head just showing above the water near the bottom right of the picture Its about an inch  to the left of the turtle  to the far right. Today I shall return to that location and look for it again.

The Painted turtle is very colourful, thus its name.  Below as the turtle crawls out from the water you can see some if its red markings on its shell and the yellow striping on its head and neck!

Looking for another sunny day today which will create the right conditions for more Painted turtle hunting.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Three Eagles along the River.

I missed my opportunity of a best photo as I saw an Eagle standing in the river.  It flew away at my approach to the observation deck but as it flew upward it was like an explosion of Eagles as others seemed to burst from the tress bordering the river bank there.  I panned what movement I could and was surprised at my downloading the picture included here.  I had not been aware of the two Eagles perched on the branch until later.  In this photo I had panned the eagle flying by the branch as I tried to keep track of its movements.  There were at least three, and I think more Eagles present at the river this morning around 7 a.m. I shall visit there again today more than one return trip.  Its a lovely sunshiny day today  and I shall enjoy it with my camera.

A fox, an early morning hunter.

We have been waiting and watching and hoping to get a photo of a Red fox this spring. This morning was my opportunity.  Just as I was leaving the location  in my car, I looked up and saw this fox.  As it was moving quite quickly

I panned its movements the best I could through my car window!

Now that I am aware of its presence at this location I shall visit there daily being hopeful of another photo opportunity of this beautiful wild creature that lives and roams in our community.

Brown-headed Cowbird

Although seeing the male of a bird species first makes

making an id of a female  of the species much easier as the male  often has the more distinctive, outstanding features as in the brown head of a male Brown-headedCowbird.  However, yesterday this lone bird appeared in bird Alley without seeming to have a male companion.  I am identifying this bird as a female Brown-head Cowbird and  today I am anticipating the arrival of a male Cowbird!

I havewn't checked out the river yet today so that remains as an anticipation yet to enjoy.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

An Eagle being chased by a crow!

Sometimes I am just lucky, being at the right place at the right time and having my camera ready!  
This morning I decided to check out the river from an observation deck overlooking the falls.  As I walked onto the deck I saw an Eagle flying by being followed closely by  crow.  It became apparent that the crow was chasing the eagle.  I raised my camera, turned up my zoom lens, and hoping that I was focusing enough, pushed down the shutter, click, click , click and below are the three pictures I was able to capture of the chase!

That's  it folks... my lucky encounter and my pictures of the chase!

Hopefully you enjoy them as I certainly did.  I have more water areas to check out  this morning never  know what I will find.  that is the joy of it all.  Nature is full of surprises.  Until tomorrow.. Ann

Spotted Sandpiper

These past few days have been wonderful!  I have been finding a new species returned almost every day. Recently, Ruby-throated Hummingbird.  Rose-breasted Grosbeak, White-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, and now this morning, a Spotted Sandpiper!

The spotted breast of this little Sandpiper makes its id almost unmistakeable!

Its profile as a Sandpiper was a standout along the shoreline of the river this morning.

 I wonder what I will find next?  

Two new Arrivals in Bird Alley

Yesterday I spied a long-awaited White-Crowned sparrow in Bird Alley.  I only saw it the once yesterday although I had scattered extra bird seed on the ground where it had been feeding after it had left.  So far today it has been a no-show although I keep hoping I will see it again today as I consider yesterday's visit too brief for my viewing pleasure

The second much adored and patiently waited for was a male ruby Throated Hummingbird!  How I adore these little birds!

A Happy Mother's Day wish to all mother's out there and a wonderful weekend to everyone!

Cliff swallows for saturday Critters

This is the hird year in a row thatI have chanced upon Cliff Swallows gathering mud to use in the building of their nest.  The nest being built is in clear view of this mud gathering mud puddle.  The birds are very quick darting about to and fro carrying mud in their beaks to their nest location , then quickly returning to gather more mud.  Their nest is being built in the peak of a house just across the highway from where I am parked taking pictures of the swallows.  Below are a random few pictures of the mud gathers: Enjoy!

 I am linking today to viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Have a wonderful dsy everyone.  Hopefully irt is a lovely sunshiny day at your location as it is here....

Ann

Please note the following link!

http://naturetales.blogspot.ca/2011/06/cliff-swallows-and-their-nest-building.html

Dog-toothed Violets

We went purposefully  to find these wildflowers in blossomThursday and we found some. Beautiful Dog-toothed Violets. This wildflower species is misnamed as it is not part of the Violet family.

Savannah Sparrow

Yesterday morning, after feeling very pleased to have seen a Pine Siskin in our feeder area; I went out with my camera hoping to see an interesting, not yet seen bird by me this spring.. Due to recent flooding I am unable to go to my usual favourite birding spots , so I was driving along a road with a view to the river  below.  I had stopped by a bush and noticed what I thought was a sparrow in its branches.,

The bird did not move or immediately fly away, so I thought why not take its picture? I thought, with a photo I might be able to make an id when downloading.
I was able to get a few profile shots of its head and I noticed a bit of yellow colour through my camera lens.  How exciting!, Maybe a new bird viewing  that I hadn't yet experienced this spring! I thought of the possibilities.  Maybe a Savannah Sparrow? which exhibits lovely yellow lores.. A White-throated Spararow also has beautiful yellow lores but I knew that this wasn't a White throated.  My thumbnail photos seemed to present a bird with an excess of yellow on its face which confused us for a while,, but when fully downloaded the bird appeared to have a very thick yellow lore. I checked out Savannah Sparrow in our Sibley's field guide, reading that a Savannah has a white median stripe on its head.  My pictures did not include aview of the top of the bird's head, however , it definitely had yellow lures so I am taking a chance on id..ing this bird in the photo as a Savannah Sparrow!

                                                                      What do you think?
Hopefully I will find another interesting bird to take a picture of this morning when I go out, but my goal today  is to find and take a picture of a blossoming Dog- toothed violet. We had seen two unopened blossoms one day last week and assume they will be in their open beauty by this morning.  If so, pictures will be posted here tomorrow.  Have a wonderful sunshiny today folks. 

Pine Siskins

I hadn't seen a Pine Siskin for a long, long time but yesterday morning I spied a little, slightly grey striped bird with  fine streaks of yellow on its rump and I thought "aha!" a Pine Siskin, and they often accompany Goldfinch too and we had lots of Godfinch about; so I called my husband to come and look and he agreed with me; Pine Siskins, We had Pine Siskiun at our feeders!  How wonderful!  So this morning I watched and waited and took pictures!  I love these little birds with their yellow decorator touches.

Have a wonderful sunshiny day everyone!  Our flood waters are beginning to go down as we didn't have any rain last night or this morning. This week I am hoping we have White Crown Sparrows visiting our feeder area here in Bird Alley.. Just maybe?

Six White-tailed Deerall gathered together in one location.. Wow,

While checking out the lagoon for ducks 1glanced sideways and noticed some brown movement and saw six deer all gathered together. how beautiful they were.