Today's Birds 1-28-14

Tuesday was an exsighting day, as we saw four or five juvenile eagles.

This one was the first seen perching near office after 9 am. X marks the spot....

 Another, much darker, was buffeted by the wind....

 We saw a place where many had landed near edge of Patuxent River....

 Before this one was spotted, we had seen two other juveniles chasing another. Might be the "chasee" who has caught a fish!....

 Here's a handsome youngster who might be called "Spot" or "White Hoodie"!...

 And another....

 Surprise! An adult paid a visit.....

 A few seed eating friends~~

Goldfinch who still has a yellow cast...

 Red-bellied woodpecker with cardinal and sparrow....

 The doves get "puffy" when it's 20°!...

Icy Surprises, 1-25-14

This is the normal view from the Park Visitor's Center back door.  But something IS right in the middle!....

 Surprise!  If you enlarge, you can see our juvie eagle visitor on this grey, bleak morning....

 

During the day, some coworkers who had to drive past the eagle nest, saw both adults on the nest branch!  When the sun appeared after 3:30 PM, I knew that after work I would have to take a tour! No eagles in the nest.

Come along...this is Selby's Landing boat ramp, south of the Park office area. "Floating trees" are really encased in ice!...

 Shoreline, looking upriver from ramp....

"Baseball, anyone?"....

Looking downriver, into the sun, we spotted waterfowl.

And Surprise, juvie eagle is posing right by a marker!....

 As he/she lifted off, a few of the gulls took flight, but others floated with the common mergansers....

 Juvie flew to our side of the river, met a friend or sibling....

...and both landed at the same icy spot....

Back at the top of the ramp, some of the covered fields could be seen....

 Surprise! A kite flier added color to the cornfield!...

Just had to drive in the Park Entrance road to check the eagles' nest. Surprise!!! Someone is there!....

 This reminds us again that we shouldn't despair on the doldrum days of winter. Mother Nature will always show us a beautiful day!...

Xmas in Texas, 2013

The original house of daughter, Sherry & SIL, Jimmy, in Bastrop, TX, until Sept., 2011 wildfires....

 New house completed in Oct., 2013....

 The back....

 The pool in back, seen from left side of house that has some roses!!!!...

Outdoor Xmas Critters

This next door lot still has dead trees which we saw provided roosting spots for wildlife!!!.....

There were quite a few red-shouldered hawks. But this is a red-tailed!!!..



A red-shouldered hawk....

 We were happily surprised to see some carcaras, also known as Mexican Eagles....

The orange patch near the beak is actually skin that can change color....

Some deer came by,....

 ....one with stripes!!!...

 De plane.....

Jimmy's "Outdoor Kitchen" which provided half of Xmas dinner...

Indoor Xmas

Sherry holding Emmy....

 Oscar and Emmy loved Xmas and helped prepare!!!....

 Awww, just warm my tummy......

Oscar in "Mom's" sink....

The main course was beef tenderloin stuffed with lobster and shrimp. Yum, yum....