Park Loon + 6-24-11

Yay!! Patuxent loon in June!! Karen McDonald from the Smithsonian sent these pics to naturalist Greg K. She went on an osprey banding trip and then camped where she saw the loon near her campsite....

Heron lunch....
Large lunch!! I watched a great white egret once downing a fish. Eventually you see a bulge in the neck!..

Home Feathers and Flowers

Big red-belly baby brought Dad to the suet. After getting a mouthful, Dad went to feed juvie. I tried to get a picture, but the flash went off and they flew away. Surprise, they were in the camera!.....

That rascally hummer boy will not pose in the sun so we can see his lovely red throat!...
Almost Redskin lillies starting to open....

Planted 2 lavendars from the PA Farm two years ago in a small spot next to front azaleas. They went bonkers this year.....

Deck Flower Pots

If there's no more room for a garden, you can always have pots ! ☺...

Back corner has celosia & my fave blue ballon flowers w/ tomato plants & petunias in front.....
The annual 4th of July set.....

Other side with St. Francis under the sweetbay magnolia....

Home Flora

Deck from backyard...

Hosta budding.....
Butterfly weed and bee balm next to garage that survived!!..

Baby Red-bellied Woodpeckers, 6-20-11

For the first time, we observed two babies who followed each other to the suets alone.Had previously seen one chick with a parent. They must be smart siblings!

Chick # 1...

Chick # 2...

Eagle Nest Update at PRP, June, 2011

On this day, could see two silhouettes in the shade...

Looks like a wingtip from center of the nest...
MT nest. Probably branching now, or napping??? I doubt napping in the heat...

Critters

A visiting possum was under the neighbor's mulberry tree one night....

"Forestville Leonard" has a den near same place...
A black-winged damselfly at Chelsea pond...

..and a blue dasher dragonfly...

We've seen Snappy lately in the creek near road by eagle nest area of Patuxent Park...