Leave Nothing But Footprints – #5 My Backyard Trails

This is my contribution for Heaven’s Sunshine’s weekly challenge, “One Step At A Time”.

So come along and hike with me, one step at a time!

Donna’s Backyard Trails, Bozman, Maryland~~

A peek at my ‘backyard trails’ that includes roaming my four neighbors’ vast properties. I am so thankful for their permissions!

This specific nature walk was last week when grandson, Jaxon (9 yo), visited us during Easter break. He loves nature walking and birding with me. This time he wanted to include “shed-hunting”, a first for me lol. Now he’s the teacher, telling me what to look for, and telling me we needed to sweep the farm fields too, not just the borders and woods. Okey dokey!

So let’s begin and follow one of my property deer trails….

that pop’s out to one of my neighbor’s farm field.

Jaxon is sure there’s a shed out there in the middle of that seven acres, so we walked and swept much of it. No sheds, but we enjoyed the sights and sounds of birds, wildlife footprints, and the several critter ‘dens’ we found dug.

We headed back to my little deer trail and continued our walk.

Below you can see the beginning of one of my “trails” that’s an almost mile-long private drive to my four neighbors’ vast waterfront properties.

At the bend above, to the left is the below marsh behind our property.

And to the right is the below tidal marsh pond that Jaxon and I love, love roaming around!

That yellow in the water is our Spring pollen that has been falling heavily and drifted in with the tides. Yuk.

Continuing on up the driveway, there are two more plats of farm fields, another marsh, many sections of woods and brush/thickets. Jaxon wanted to sweep the next farm field, so we did, again with no luck. We then followed a few deer trails in and out of the woods surrounding the second marsh. Birds were flitting about!

Jaxon in bird action!

Suddenly…..

What????!!!!!

Jaxon found a five-point shed!
(his 4th shed found to date)

We pretty much ended our walk there lol, Jaxon was too excited and wanted to go back and show Pop Pop and facetime Mom & Dad!

For this Grammy, this just became another top nature walk I’ll never forget. 😊

Since our walk also included birding, I’ll share a bird photo by each of us to round out this wonderful walk that recorded as 0.76 miles and 26 bird species total.

Tree Swallow

 

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Take a hike, short or long, one step at a time.
Mother Nature promises to reward you!

And please remember~~
Leave nothing but footprints.
Kill nothing but time.

 

Painted Bunting

I am excited to share this Painted Bunting, a rare sighting for us here in Maryland, and a lifer for me! 💃

A fellow bird club member had this male Painted Bunting show up at her feeder for breakfast and allowed me to watch and wait to see if it’d show again yesterday morning.

And it did! I was about 45 minutes into waiting while enjoying and photographing the numerous other birds flitting around.

I did crop heavily just to see this bird up close, so many colors!

Just stunning!

Once it left the feeder, it disappeared into this shaded bush I lightened up.

It’s normal range….

Painted Bunting’s Map Range (courtesy AllAboutBird.org)
(orange, breeding; yellow, migrating; blue – winter grounds; red – Maryland sighting)

 

With the vivid fusion of blue, green, yellow, and red, it’s as if this male Painted Bunting has flown straight out of a child’s coloring book!

💃 Yep, I am still dancing with this lifer! Thank you, Cristina & Lou for the opportunity, you made my weekend!

 

Five On The Wire – #21

Who have I found lately perched on a wire, exploring their views?

Tree Swallow
(they’re back!)

 

Eastern Phoebe
(they’re back!)

 

Broad-winged Hawk

 

Red-shouldered Hawk

 

Red-tailed Hawk

Leave Nothing But Footprints – #4 Rock Creek Vista Point Trail

This is my contribution for Heaven’s Sunshine’s weekly challenge, “One Step At A Time”.

So come along and hike with me, one step at a time!

Rock Creek Vista Point Trail, Beartooth Highway (US Rt 212), Montana
1/4 mile round trip

We are at 9,190 feet in elevation.

Rock Creek Vista
What a view!

Easily spotted along the trail were Golden-mantled ground squirrels climbing on the rocks.  Piles of unshelled nuts and empty nut shells were scattered, obviously enticing these squirrels to make their home there.

9–12 inches long
7.4–11 ounces

They were indeed adorable and an added bonus in seeing the gorgeous vista!

 

Take a hike, short or long, one step at a time.
Mother Nature promises to reward you.

And please remember~~
Leave nothing but footprints.
Kill nothing but time.

 

Happy Easter

Osprey on Cross
Holy Family Mission
Everglades City, Florida
February 2021

Seen near Libby, Montana
July 2021

Wishing you a wonderful Easter celebration!

 

Resting Raptors

Are they resting?  Or are they focused on a hunt?  No matter the reason, these raptors are definitely taking in their 360 degree view!

Red-shouldered Hawk (immature)

 

Red-tailed Hawk (immature)

 

Bald Eagle

 

Merlin

 

Osprey

 

Cooper’s Hawk

 

Turkey Vulture

 

Backyard Traffic #2 – Wild Turkey

While we eat our meals, we are entertained with nature through our big picture window.

Usually it’s watching the birds and feeders, or the weather’s force, or seeing/discussing outside chore work to be done ugh, lol.

If we’re lucky, we may see someone non-nonchalantly pass on through.  This happened during dinner a few days ago.

Did you notice?  Even two trees were surprised! 😁
(hint – first and last photo)

 

Duck Duck Goose – #8

Winter duck or goose?  If it’s a goose, you better run! 😉

Duck…..

Mallard (year-round)

Duck…..

Wood Ducks in the rain (they’re back!)

Goose!

Canada Geese

Duck…..

Green-winged Teal
(heading home now!)

Duck…..

Long-tailed Duck
(heading home now!)

Goose!

Snow Geese
(been long gone!)

Duck…..

Bufflehead (male)
(heading home now!)

Duck…..

Bufflehead (female)
(heading home now!)

Duck…..

Lesser Scaup
(heading home now!)

Duck…..

Surf Scoters
(heading home now!)

Duck…..

Black Scoters
(heading home now!)

Goose!

Canada Geese competing for a Spring nesting location

Whew!  I hope you had your sneakers on! 😁

 

Woodpecker Wednesday

I chased a Pileated Woodpecker in my backyard couple days ago, but the poor photo didn’t make the cut in the last of my winter woodpeckers faves, all photographed in my backyard.

This first woodpecker migrates to us for the winter from the upper U.S. and Canada. They’ll be departing very soon to head back home to breed.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

 

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

The rest of these woodpeckers are year-round for me.

Downy Woodpecker (male)

 

Red-bellied Woodpecker (female)

 

Northern Flicker, Yellow-shafted (male)

Here’s the yellow!

Northern Flicker, Yellow-shafted (female)

 

Leave Nothing But Footprints – #3 Duck Inn Trail, Eastern Neck NWR

This is my contribution for Heaven’s Sunshine’s weekly challenge, “One Step At A Time”.

So come along and hike with me, one step at a time!

Duck Inn Trail, Eastern Neck NWR, Rock Hall, MD (one of six trails at the refuge)
1.1 miles round trip

It’s a cool March afternoon, and all is quiet except for an occasional honking of a nearby Canada Goose.  The smell of fresh pine fills the air as we stroll along.

Reaching the end of the trail, there is a view of the Orchard Point Oyster Company oyster farm on the Chester River.

Do you like oysters?  I do not.

We turn around to retrace our steps back to our car.

Wait a minute. Do you hear a woodpecker drilling?

Hairy Woodpecker

That was a nice surprise!

Take a hike, short or long, one step at a time.
Mother Nature promises to reward you.

And please remember~~
Leave nothing but footprints.
Kill nothing but time.