Who We Are

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Serene Scenery Sunday

Woo, everypup and everycat.  Dave here with this week's installment of Serene Scenery Sunday.  As Zim told you yesterday, Mom was out cavorting with Border Collies (and her friend) yesterday and left us alllllll alone.  I know.  It was terribly unfair.  She did come back very happy and serene and excited about everything she did and saw, though, so it was OK.  She asked if I'd share the best of her pix with you today and there are a ton of them.  Grab your water bowl or cup of coffee, and let's get ready to get serene at Tuttle Creek Lake River Pond/State Park!

This is in one of the many shelters in the park:

IMG_2687cps

Mom always feels serene when she sees it.  They parked right by it, so Mom went in and snapped a pic before they started hiking.

Along one of the trails, they saw this Downy Woodpecker:

IMG_2701 Downy Woodpecker

Mom said he was hard to capture; he was tiny and kept moving.

IMG_2715 Downy Woodpecker

Mom said she prefers large, slow-moving birds.  Ha woo.

Along the path, there are lots of gnarly trees of all kinds.  It's no surprise then that there are several of these in the ponds:

IMG_2716dam
Beaver Dam!

IMG_2867dam
Another Beaver Dam!

It should further come as no surprise that if you wait and watch and get really lucky, you might see one of these pop up over the bank:

IMG_2744Beaver
Mr. Beaver!

Pretty cool, huh?

Both Mom and Dad like this picture and say it reminds them of Easter:

IMG_2750cps

It doesn't get much better than Easter, does it?

Mom and her friend also saw this little birdie:

IMG_2779cpsYellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Mom's friend was able to ID it; Mom had never seen one before!

Speaking of birds Mom's never seen before, she saw this guy hanging out with some Coots:

IMG_2794cps Horned Grebe

That's not a Coot!

IMG_2788cps Horned Grebe

Mom's friends and a member of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's FaceBook page helped Mom ID it as a Horned Grebe going through Winter to breeding plumage!

Here's one of the Coots he was hanging out with:

IMG_2835Coot

Mom loves Coots.

IMG_2821 Moss & Seamus

Hmm.  Those aren't birds in the photo above ... I do believe it's Moss and Seamus, Mom's friend's Border Collies.  I hope they had a good time!

Here's another sort of mystery bird:

IMG_2818cps

Mom thinks it's a Northern Rough-Winged Swallow.  Anyone have any other ideas?

IMG_2841cps

The Rough-Winged is supposed to have long, pointy wings and tail, be brown and pale brown, and according to Cornell, a "small, long-winged stocky songbird."

IMG_2813cps
"Who are you calling stocky, husky?"

No offense, birdie.  The Cornell people said it, not me.

Moving right along... here's a Red-Winged Blackbird:

IMG_2857cps Red-Winged Blackbird

Mom said they could hear a whole lot more birds than they could find.  I think this could explain the whole thing:

IMG_2860 Red-Winged Blackbird
"Two women with cameras coming this way!  Hide!  Hide!  HIDE!"

You never know.

On her way out of the park, Mom saw an American Kestrel perched up on a post!

IMG_2872AmericanKestrel

Is it just me, or does he look like he's saying his prayers before dinner?  Look out below, little mousies!

Maybe that wasn't the most serene place to leave it for today, but maybe it was for the Kestrel.

Remember to look for serenity all around you.  You never know what you might find!

Luv,
Dave

13 comments:

  1. Wow look out little mousies indeed. Gosh you got a shot f a beaver. We love these. Powsome post. Have a serene Sunday.
    Best wishes Molly.

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  2. OMD OMD your mom got a pic of Justin the BEAVER!!! WOW that is really special. Love this entire post!!

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  3. We are laughing at Frankie's comment - Justin the Beaver! haha
    Your mom sure got lots of great birdie shots! We love the rough-winged swallow. He is just beautiful!

    Love ya lots,
    Mitch and Molly

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  4. As always a most serene post from beginning to yes even the end.
    Blessings,
    Goose

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  5. I love all those birds. Really.

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  6. Very serene post!
    Thanks for sharing all the pictures!
    Happy Sunday!
    Kisses and hugs
    Lorenza

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  7. Oh DAve. My Vickie and I love love love this post......
    Wonderful photography.
    It makes us smile.
    Bert and My Vickie

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  8. Mom loves all your moms wildlife pictures. Even the pups.

    Millie & Walter

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  9. What a great day! Mom sure found some beautiful things
    Benny & Lily

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  10. Your mom is getting good hunting critters with her camera. I like that blackbird with the shock of red on his wings. He looks like a superhero!

    Kisses,
    Dexter

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  11. Very very pretty! Maybe she can take you with next time?

    Sam

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  12. BIRDIES!!! Oh, I LOVES birdies! I just love to watch them. As a special treat when I'm very good in the pet store, Momma lets me go over and watch the birdies in their cages. Thank you for the pictures!

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  13. Great pictures of all the birdies, Dave! you definitely have us feeling hungr...er...serene (hee hee!)

    Pip, Smidgen, Minnie, Hollie

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