Black Friday !!!!

My sister called and wanted an Adventure today.  She picked me up and we headed south.  Got to Waverly and stopped at Wal-Mart.  Did a little shopping and got some great buys and didn't have to get up early or wait in line.
From there we decided to head to Shawnee State Park.  We saw an Eagle soaring over and several hawks, the day was beautiful...Had lunch at the Lodge and it was decorated with dozens of trees.  This is my sister by the fireplace in the lobby.

Lunch was delicious... we walked around and looked at all the decorations and Christmas music was playing...just the thing to get me in the mood...

This nativity scene was beautiful and then there was the tree made of things from nature with a Noah's arc beside it.

It had wasp nests and just about everything you could find outside. A beautiful tree.

We decided to follow the Scenic Scioto Heritage Trail and found this Mansion...

This old building looks like it is ready to fall down...but notice the satellite dish in the window upper right.....

Then winding thru the countryside ...we came upon this creek...

The hillside had unusual stone formations and as we got closer.....











It looks like someone created these pointed stones in the side of this hill...was amazing

Saw a lot of cows and some horses...

Other things we found along the drive...

Pears still in the tree..... and a large hornets nest.....

A drive thru the country isn't complete without a beautiful old barn...,

An then just when I thought I wasn't going to get a picture of a bird.....

He was there for just a moment and flew off.  I think he is a Rough-legged Hawk. I am sorry the picture isn't clearer but only had moments to take this ....
Then on the way home along 104......

There were hundreds of Starlings in this field....

And of course when we stopped to get pictures...they flew away.....

And were gone!  Was an amazing site...sorry the picture isn't the best please forgive me for that.  We ended the day with a pumpkin blizzard from Dairy Queen....Was a good Black Friday!

The Wild Turkey

 In July 2010, my sister and I were walking along the path at Canal Rd. Park and we spotted this cat watching something.  We started looking around to see what he was watching.


It didn't take long and we spotted this beautiful Wild Turkey.

I think she noticed us about the same time we found her.  While taking pictures I noticed something at her feet.

I couldn't quite make out what it was but very soon we discovered we had found a family!

It was her baby! We were so excited!  But as we were watching them......

Little heads started appearing and there were 5 babies.

She started walking away and they started to follow her.  Guess she thought she had stayed long enough for pictures....

She lead them across the field, still keeping an eye on us (we had not moved) and took them behind this tree.

Then she came walking out by herself. She kept an eye on us and walked around.  We decided it was time for us to move on.  It was a thrilling experience.  So I thought this would be a good time to tell this story since Thanksgiving is so close.  Hope everyone has a great one.

Drama in the backyard!!!

This morning while on the computer, I heard the birds making alot of noise outside my window.
I went to the door and looked out and there he was sitting on my porch.  I believe he is a Sharp-shinned Hawk.  The sparrows were in the Burning bush just to his left and watching how he could fly into that bush was amazing.

I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures of
him.  He then flew into the Plum Tree and I sneaked out and sat in the swing (just across from this chair he is sitting on)








I didn't have to wait long and he was flying around again and landed on the metal arbor.

From here he flew into the bush again and this time the Sparrows got away.

That was when I noticed this Downy Woodpecker in the Dogwood and not moving.  The Downy stayed perfectly still the whole time.







Then the Hawk flew around and started to land on the porch chair when he noticed me in the swing and flew to the back of my yard in another Dogwood Tree.  I think he was a shocked to see me as I was at seeing him coming toward me!!!!

He flew around a couple of more times and wasn't successful in catching anything and flew to another yard.

What an exciting morning and I didn't have to leave my yard.

Cleveland on Lake Erie, October morn 2011

The Cleveland Skyline on a cool October morning.  I was looking for the Sea Gulls and didn't see any until I drove around to the beach area.

Oh my, they were all there on the beach.

Looked like they were playing in the waves. Was amazing. Then I looked up and saw the Canadian Geese go by.

There were quite a few hanging around the park.

Just before I got back in the car I saw these two on the ledge of the picnic shelter.  They looked so cold .

House Sparrows...but I don't know if the blue was a reflection from the building or what...

 Birding Live vs Birding the net!

The final 2  birds will be released on Monday, Nov. 7.  Birding The Net has been exciting, interesting and frustrating and I have learned a lot.  But today I had to get outside and see some real birds.  The time change thru me off so I took off to one of my favorite spots early this morning.....

Charlie's Pond

It was very quite out there is morning but then I saw the cute Horned Lark.

There were just a couple and some Starlings and some Killdeer.

I love to watch them running around.  Then a pair of Ring-necked Pheasants flew across the road and ran into the corn field and were gone!

I wasn't sad because I didn't get their picture.  I have pictures of them already.  Was nice to just watch them.  So I went and did some shopping and got lunch and took it to the Canal Road pond area and this little guy was really giving me a show!

This Belted Kingfisher was singing his heart out.  I couldn't decide if he was warning of my arrival or just having a good day.

So now I am refreshed and ready for the stress of finding those two birds on Monday.