Sandhills Nat'l Wildlife Refuge --no labor at all!

2 posts in almost as many days? What's going on? Anyways yesterday we went to Sandhills NWLR.  We really are fortunate to have a state park and a wildlife refuge within a few miles of our home! It wasn't too hot so off we went--the hope was to see wildflowers and butterflies..we saw some of each a bit too early for the full force of the wildflowers and the butterflies seemed to be having tequila shots or something they were so buzzed they wouldn't sit still...but Mom has to pack today she is headed to my sisters for 2 weeks...so it was now or 2 weeks from now and we decided to do both What the heck!

the lillies are in bloom so little white dots along the edges of the ponds..the water was so warm...a footsoak was in order Mom sure enjoyed it--

Little shiners came to nibble at her toes..lol I was busy photographing the wildflowers weeds and such while she soaked...

 

                                   Tall Iron-Weed 

Joe Pye Weed

 

                                                                            Eastern Kingbird

 

                                                                           Button Bush really cute

  

                                     

This was my favorite shot of the day!!

I always make a mistake trying to I'd dragonflies...

more sightings included....  

buckeye butterfly

                                                     

Got a pretty good look at some blue grosbeaks and one posed for a somewhat distant photo..his breeding color fading a bit now to drab I am digging his big beak tho!

Just so you can see how vast the landscape is...

I caught a glimpse of an egret near the backside of one of the ponds...and then I saw she was not alone..

 Pretty far away but I think that is her  a white form little blue,  with her and they are traveling with a domestic duck they def. were all 3 together! They moved around as one unit not getting too far from each other...sorry the whites are so blown out...I'm still trying to figure out this camera..I am NOT a fan of digital buttons!! I'd rather have analog for that--one button for F-stops one for SS, etc..the good ole days but the film I can do without...do love the digital format for that!  Anyways this is like the incredible journey...it was 2 dogs and a cat right? How cool is that??

Then we carried on into a different area of the park...stopped to check on a few other sites..

Mom looking for more wildlife...once in the forested area I spotted this...and please do convince me it is a willow flycatcher cause that would be a new lifer for me!

not great crisp shots as he was high up in the tree...but here is what I see: Un-remarkable eye-ring,  whitish throat, orangey color to the slender beak, has some pale wing bars, buffy-breast, notched tail, and that flycatcher hair-do!

I put it on Ebird they will probably scream at me...but so be it!

Safe Travels on Labor Day!

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

ONE MONTH can go by fast RIGHT?

Last day before heading back to work after the holiday break ....and a gorgeous fall day here so had to go out and enjoy it!  We went to Sandhills Wildlife Refuge...about 15 miles from us..

We took a hike around the dogs enjoyed that...and we spotted a few cool things; the grasses are awesome this time of year.

there is photo blind wayyyy back behind the lake, toward the upper left in this photo...

trouble is the birds wanted to be far from the blind...

Best I could tell there was Canada geese, ring necks, and coots, and at least one Pied-Billed Grebe

back to the other side of the refuge

a couple of birds came to check us out...

and a curious Robin

TOMORROW big changes here! WE have to replace 2 floors in our house! They said a MONTH omg not looking forward to the invasion.  BUT It has to be done.

We both enjoy our privacy so to not have it is gonna be nasty and we dont really know what kind of shape the house will be in during this renovation!

SO even though I think it is good to live in the here and now, this time IM ready to zoom this clock forward to Dec 24th!

PEACE

BANG-its JUNE!!

WELL the good news first:

...My sister came down to spend the weekend with me, and we had a great day out at my favorite Wildlife Refuge..Sandhills.  We took our dogs, all 3, and our chairs and sat by water and watched the dogs play, AND we both agree we need to get a couple of kayaks to go around this sweet lake in...

Later we birded a large meadow, one of my favorite spots in the refuge.  Sis checks the field with the bins...

           

We spotted  Orchard Orioles swaying on the tips of the tall grass stalks and the scrubby trees...here is an adult male...AND this Immature one..

We saw lots of Eastern bluebirds,

indigo buntings, blue grosbeaks, and Eastern Kingbirds..

We saw Wild Turkey, Summer tanagers, Blue Jays, Red Headed Woodpeckers, 

AND I get as excited about wild flowers as I do birds and they are a little easier to photograph since they dont fly away..lol  A Painted Lady on Button Brush

A red Spotted Purple on nearby butterfly weed...

IT was the perfect day cool and sunny!

 Milo news:
    he is doing great, flying all the way across the screen porch now and grabbing at stray flies and gnats, he is learning how to pick food up off the ground, and not having it all handed to him by me...so great progress...Ill get a new photo of him later in the week..

and now the bad news..

MY X, refused to accept my buy out offers even after I convinced the bank  to loan me the money...there IS a limit to how much I can pay back....I HAD Planned to retire in 2 yrs...

SO the homeplace is going up for sale...the listing is laying on my sofa waiting on me to read it, I HATE when a court can FORCE you to do what YOU DONT WANT TO DO...I cant mortgage my entire future.  BUT Its not all bad....IF and when it sells I will be able to do the traveling I want to do!! WHO knows what the future holds!!

PEACE

Family Picnic

I know after all the complaining Ive done about how hot it is...you're not gonna believe how COLD it is right now...Last evening it was 39 degrees! We had to put the heat on...ONE thing about the weather here if you dont like it, just wait it will change!! AND FAST...but I think this is only a passing front.

Over the weekend we ALL (me, my mom, both my sisters and our 4 dogs) jumped in the DLE (Dixxeland Express) and went on a Birthday Picnic...3 of us had birthdays only days apart so we normally celebrate all together..( I had my 58th last thrusday, my Mom has her 87th on Tuesday, and my "baby" sister had her 55th on Saturday)

That's my visiting sister Em  exiting the van...she returns to Colorado this weekend...AND my MOM is planning to go with her...SO a big trip for MOM!! I dont know how long she plans to stay, as long as she wants since my sis retired this year!

                 so....It was a drive up to my favorite wildlife refuge, Sandhills...

We had a nice picnic although it was cool n windy...this sky was dotted with huge puffy white clouds and it was super for a nice walk to admire the wildflowers, which to me is more beautiful in fall than in spring!

We saw some great ones like the blanket flower up there...
and we saw some  critters...it is hunting season but I dont think its turkey hunting YET..

The water was really beautiful...

                                             

sisters

                                               A great weekend now its back to work!!!

PEACE

Refreshed ...

It was such a beautiful day--a bit windy but spring is beginning to burst--

We took a drive to my favorite spot. There is always something to see along the way--never enough rustic barns to satisfy my love of old and weathered wood-(and this makes me wonder why I paint -and yet I love the unpainted look?)

THIS one hides wayyyy off the beaten path-

Finally at Sandhills we parked the car and got out for a walk around the huge field and a large lake and the frog pond and saw this cool bird nest last yrs model-- 

                                                      And Look who went with me...

We enjoyed seeing some American Chestnut Trees and the Burrs the nuts are enclosed in...

Last yrs nest

a couple of Swamp Sparrows were hunting insects in the brush maybe that's their old nest?

and WOW heard all these frogs croaking away...take a listen...

Then around by the big lake a few geese floated by...and on the back side of the field are several mature Chestnut trees! These babies are very sharp--OF course I had to test it with my index finger--now sporting a band aid~

       
                 CHECK out the huge BURL on this tree-A bowl made from this would be quite a

conversation piece!   


Then...off to the NEW Pond..this pond is 3 years old, I flushed out a couple of wood ducks, its very secluded and tranquil-

there is a wood duck box..so maybe---?
Next stop was the Dove Field ...didn't see any ,Dove flushed a few white throated sparrows ...I thought the grass was awesome!

                                         

Had a great day being out and about enjoying some quiet time communing with nature!