THE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD

This is an old post that I forgot to publish.  I hope it wasn't a ghost copy or you may have seen these before, keeping fingers crossed.  I was going through a few forgotten drafts when I found it.  These photos were taken in April 2016 at Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria.

You can learn more about him here. 

A couple of collages that I came up with at the time.

A FEW BOTANICALS

These are from our vacation in Kauai last December/January.

I am supporting the following memes as they become available, with many thanks to all our hosts.

Maggie a Mosaic Monday
Michelle at Nature Notes
Jesh at Seasons 
Tom at Tuesday's Treasures
N.C. Sue at Wordless (on Tuesday) at Image-in-ing
Betty at Wednesday Around the World

A RIDE UP TO SKYLINE DRIVE, VIRGINIA

1) We have had some beautiful days lately.  On Sunday we decided to drive to Skyline Drive.  

It was an impulse decision as it was later when we started out, and we got there at around 3.30 p.m., almost 4 o'clock. 

 The light was getting longer, perfect for photos we said.  

We hadn't even gotten onto Skyline Drive when we saw a bear running across the road, right in front of us, at a full gallop.  I have never seen a bear run that fast and have never seen one that big.  Fortunately we weren't going very fast ourselves, as the roads become narrow and winding.  Gregg was able to break so that the bear could make its way across safely.  Again, just like our last bear sighting up here, there was no chance for a photo but what a great memory.  Gregg, of course, said that he didn't know which was more fun, seeing the bear or watching my reaction as I shouted, "Bear! Bear! Bear!"  I was spluttering and pointing, and could barely get the words out, and reenacting, he said, the time we were in the north west several years ago when a Moose crossed the road.  I tend to waste valuable seconds spluttering when I should be reaching for a camera but really, there wasn't time to take a photo.  It is an excuse I am sticking with.

What I was really trying to say was "Stop! Stop! Stop!"  I was so glad that big, beautiful animal got across safely, that there was no traffic behind or in front of us before he reached the safety of the trees and disappeared into the woods.  To see a wild animal in its natural habitat is an awesome feeling of joy.  However, I just wouldn't want to be walking down one of the trails and come across one.  I know you're supposed to make a lot of noise and that they are kind of skittish of people and would normally stay well clear, but well...you know....and I can be a nervous nelly about such things.  And here's me wanting to go to Kodiak Island one day and be one with the grizzly.  Yes, I know!   This big boy was close enough when we saw him, 50-60 feet in front of us, and with us safely in our car.  A fleeting look of a magnificent animal.  We have seen more bears up here over the last couple of years than we have in all the years we have lived in Virginia.  Incredible but yes, at a distance.  Nope, wasn't going to go chasing into the woods for a photo.  It's one of those memories that will stay with us always, one of those priceless gifts worth far more than material things.

2) When we reached Big Meadows Lodge, we had not eaten all day and had wanted to have dinner in the dining room.  We were told it would be closing soon but that the Tap Room was open.  We made our way downstairs.  There was loud music and  when we got there, a lady with a great voice and a microphone accompanying instrumental music of popular songs, some country and western, some Janice Joplin, some jazz.  We picked a table on the edge of the dining area and settled down to listen.  The menu is limited but we decided on a Margarita Pizza.  It was delicious.  

So, we ate our pizza, I drank a coffee and Gregg had a coke.  



By the time we had finished we listened to several songs and when we left we told Racine (the singer) how much we had enjoyed her performance.  She was a professional and we could see her on stage with a big audience.  If you ever stop by the tap room and she is performing, don't let the loudness of the speakers put you off.  I am normally in my comfort zone with low decibels but after a while I started enjoying myself, more than I ever thought I would.  It took this visit to remind me how much I love live music.  The high energy sets your toes tapping.


3) Just before we walked into the Lodge I found one bird to photograph.  Yay!  He was a White Breasted Nuthatch.  I could just about make out wood bark flying.  It was a fine wood bark, almost like bits of sawdust.  That Nuthatch had quite a technique and I enjoyed watching him for a little while. A more cropped version of the above photo.

I bought a couple of things to commemorate our bear sighting.  Big Meadows has a great gift shop by the way.  I'm getting together with friends again this weekend, and will be divvying up the chocolate paw print.  Not sure who will be getting the birthday card yet.

3) Although we didn't do a lot of hiking today, we stopped at a couple of the overlooks.  Today was a busy day and all the parking spots at Big Meadows were overflowing, and a lot of places were the same in between.  This was the day to get out and enjoy Skyline Drive, for a whole lot of people.  I feel fortunate we can come back another day, maybe during the week next time and stay longer.  We knew that by the time we got back it would be dark, and we decided to make our way home.

4) We saw no deer and they have been scarce on our previous visits too.....

but we did see this cute little pup making his way along the wall.  We only got him as he was retreating fast, kissing the stone with his nose, sniffing all those wonderful smells that our canine friends like to do.

Can't wait to get up there again, and we will start out early in the morning next time.  Maybe take a picnic if the weather is kind.  It will be colder of course but car picnics with a view like that can be wonderful!

5) Finishing off with a link to great wildlife photos, that I hope will bring a smile.  You can see them here.  On this page there are links to other news articles, so if you don't want to see them, don't go any further than the last cute animal.

 I am supporting the following memes as they become available, with many thanks to all our hosts.

Theresa at Good Fences
Tanya at Willy-Nilly Friday Five
The team at SkyWatch Friday
Eileen at Saturday's Critters

Misty at Camera Critters
Anni at Bird D'Pot
Stuart at Wild Bird Wednesday

(I put the cartoon-like graphics on my own photos, which I got from Pixababy)

HUNTLEY MEADOWS, ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA

It is a little longer a ride for us to get here, but is always worth the trip.  We come in every season.  I have several photos today that will fit in with the memes below them.

This was the only Great Blue Heron we saw that day.  

We also saw this little bird.  Gregg took these photos.  I hope someone can identify it for me as I found nothing online.

For Willy-Nilly Friday Five

1) It has been a quiet week but we did go to Huntley Meadows, as you can see by the photos in this post.  

2) Mother Nature has flipped the switch.  We are now experiencing cooler weather.  This is my favorite time of the year when we say goodbye to humidity.  

3) We are still cleaning house and downsizing has become our middle name. More trips to Goodwill and also a big box of books have gone to a worthy cause.  We continue to make headway.

4) Our opera season starts this weekend.  My friends and I will be watching live performances from the New York Met on a movie screen at a local theater.  I don't know if I will ever actually get to see an actual performance in New York, but this is the next best thing.  Besides the  performance, artists are interviewed in the intermission, along with stage production people, costume designers; seeing behind the scenes is fun.  I have enjoyed opera since childhood.  My father had a very good singing voice and was also an excellent piano player.  It was my job to turn the pages of the music, and he let me join in whenever I wanted to.  Good memories but I didn't really know the beautiful music I was listening to was actually opera, and that my dad was giving me a life-long gift.  I started out very young.

5) Finishing off with a link to a beautiful home in New York here.  

I am supporting the following memes as they become available, with many thanks to all our hosts.

Maggie at Mosaic Monday
Jesh at Seasons
Tom at Tuesday's Treasures
N.C. Sue at Wordless (on Tuesday) at Image-in-ing
Betty at Wednesday Around the World
Theresa at Good Fences
Tanya at Willy-Nilly Friday Five
The team at SkyWatch Friday
Eileen at Saturday's Critters

Misty at Camera Critters
Anni at Bird D'Pot
Stuart at Wild Bird Wednesday

HUNTLEY MEADOWS - Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016

Huntley Meadows is another place we enjoy.  My Sister-in-law was visiting and we took her there.  I think she brought us great luck, as we saw more bird life than we have ever seen at one time, particularly Great Blue Herons.  There were several in the area, and I spotted this one in a tree across the marsh.  As there was a very pretty blue sky for a backdrop, I chose my photos for SkyWatch Friday.

Five more photos so that I can join in with Willy-Nilly Friday Five.

1) A Blue Dasher Dragonfly.  He was very cooperative waiting for me to line up a shot.

2)  Hubby and his sister enjoying the Egret in the distance.

3) Little nature lover.  Start them early.  She was with her grandmother.  We enjoyed the little girl's fascination with the young Great Blue Heron.  This is Gregg's photo.

4) I was very curious what this is.  It starts to grow over the marshy plants at this time of the year and I have learned that it is a parasitic plant called Dodder. You can read about it here.  It would be worth scrolling down as there are other very interesting parasitic plants mentioned, all very interesting, and this is the eighth one down. 

5) A change from the above, a tea light in a pretty blue glass container after stopping at a restaurant on the way home.  If one used one's imagination a little, one could almost see that this was a setting sun symbolic of the lovely day we had, that was almost at an end but not quite over.  

I am linking with the following, with many thanks to our hosts.  In order as they become available.  

The Team at SkyWatch Friday

Tanya at Willy-Nilly-Friday Five

Eileen at Saturday's Critters

Misty at Camera Critters

Anni at Bird D'Pot

Stuart at Wild Bird Wednesday