Fine Feathered Friends ...

... Photo-walk For FunJanet & Debbie June 2010

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr friends get together again.

Our first photo-walk together
Nov. 2009 at Stony Creek Metropark
Friends of A Feather Take Pictures Together.

This post is to celebrate and share Nature-ally Beautiful moments experienced
at Kensington Metropark with my daughter Becki, sister Mary Jo and friend Janet.

Debbie, Becki (my daughter) and Janet

Enjoying a ride
on the Island Queen pontoon
around Kent Lake in Kensington Metropark.

Janet, Mary Jo (my sister) and Becki

A birds eye view from the pontoon boat.
Cormorants soaking up the sunshine in the tree tops.

A cautious swan pen moves her cygnets along on WildWing Lake
as they snack on pond scum, weeds and bugs in the water.

A bug nestles in the petal of a pondlily bloom on the lake today.

The beauty of a pondlily bud beginning to blossom.

A breath of fresh air for this painted turtle.

Camouflaged among the lily pads, a wee little frog.

Green is one of my favorite colors, I think this is why.

The catch of the day for this Blue Heron! And us!

Just look at that bulging eye as he captures this huge fish.

I'm sure that our eyes were bulging as well while

watching and photographing this moment from Wildwing trail.

I know mine were.

A female Red-winged Blackbird has her moment too.

This poor dragonfly made a fine catch for her.

It was interesting to watch the Red-winged Blackbirds

as they patrolled the lilypads for bugs today.

A little love in the sun.
Two damselflies (I think) in a mating wheel.

Maybe a blue-dasher or blue pond skimmer.
I need Janet's dragonfly book or Janet.

The dancing duet of the Baltimore Checkerspot while mating.

An ant and a Great Spangled Fritillary
share the nectar of a Milkweed bloom.

More milkweed action,
a monarch caterpillar munching along.

I found Buckeye and Speckled Wood Butterfly
when trying to identify this sweet flutterby.
I don't think either is correct.
The Buckeye is larger, and the eye pattern more distinguished.
The Speckled Wood has a darker brown base color that this one.
Maybe a Ringlet Butterfly ???

Ah the sound of Red-bellied Woodpecker ... music.

A house wren outside it's cavity. We think it belongs to the house wren.
It was in and out several times. Singing and defending the territory.
A Black-capped chickadee had attempted to enter several times.
They had words. Didn't sound pretty. We wondered.

The area around this nest was quite a hot spot.
We watched Red-bellied and Hairy Woodpecker eat
berries just a few feet from the tree the nest is in.
In fact we were under the nest for at least half an hour before I noticed it.
Made me laugh, as did this "What you talking bout Willis?" expression oh her face.

A hungry nestlings eager to eat. Mama fed juicy red berries today.
I'm not sure how many babes are in the nest.
We watched a squirrel walk right up to the nest
take something out and quickly scurry off.
Papa Waxwing suddenly appeared and gave chase.
As I was going through my pictures I noticed that I did get
a shot of what the squirrel took and got away with. It is not pretty.
I'm not sure if I want to post it or not. Bad squirrel!

I look forward to future posts and updates on the progress
and growth of the sweet babes in this nest by Janet here.

Time to feed the birds. Who wants to eat?

"I do! .... I do!"

A charming chickadee alights upon my daughter's hand.

Life is good. Memories to keep and share.


The regulars ...

A Blue...tiful Bluejay.

A female Cardinal fluffin' her feathers.

Mr. Cardinal's redness radiates.

Mr. Red-wing sleek and smooth.

Janet (in the middle,behind Mary), Mary Jo and Debbie
photographing a White-breasted Nuthatch cavity.

The Nuthatch couple and nestlings were adorable.
We spent a good deal of time watching and photographing them.
Mama and Papa caught caterpillars, bugs and brought seed to them.

Janet, Mary Jo and Debbie
Good times.

Janet and Debbie get creative with our shadows.


Memories made and moments shared...
one photograph at a time.

To many more Nature-ally Beautiful Moments
today and everyday ;)