Blackwater NWR – Wildlife & Habitat Scenes
My last two posts featured a close-up fly-by of a Bald Eagle and a Merlin launching into an attack, both taken last week at Blackwater NWR in Cambridge, Maryland.
Here’s more from that day’s afternoon visit.
Birds up close…..
Butterflies…..
Other critters…..
Birds in habitat…..
And some of the gorgeous scenery that Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge has to offer.
I just shared with you some of why this refuge is one of my favorite places to be with nature.
😊
Beautiful, what a great day!
Thank you, it is a gorgeous refuge with an approx. seven mile long paved wildlife drive for autos and cyclists. There is always something to see around every twist and turn! 🙂
It looks like it for sure donna.
Really nice collection
Thank you, Ted!
very beautiful photos!
Thank you very much!
Wow Donna! What an incredible day and variety of wildlife you saw! I’m assuming that most of these were taken from the main drive. Fantastic!!
Thank you, Susan, yes, all photos taken from the wildlife drive except for the Cormorants which were along Key Wallace Drive and 2 of the 5 butterfly shots & gate from the Visitors Center. Their wildlife drive is pretty special for sure, I love it. Vehicles make awesome ‘photo blinds’ with wildlife at this refuge; and if you get out of your vehicle slowly/carefully, the wildlife will sometimes still oblige a photo or two. 🙂 Tomorrow, Saturday, 8/28, the Wildlife Drive is free all day, if you’re not an annual pass member.
This is such a beautiful reserve! I can imagine how you must enjoy being surrounded by nature here 🙂
It really is beautiful, Takami. You can imagine, too, that I have a real hard time having to leave from each visit. If my husband’s with me, eyes have rolled at me a few times! hee hee 😉
I had the opportunity to visit Blackwater once, years ago, and I still remember it vividly because it is such a vast and wildlife-filled place. Your photos were a real treat, Donna, to see Blackwater again. You had such a beautiful day with terrific sunshine and clarity. Fantastic captures. I especially like that one with the great egret balancing on one leg, and stretching the other. Your title for it is perfect. Also fantastic close-up of the monarch on the goldenrod. Easy to see why this NWR is a favorite.
Thank you, Jet! Yes, it is quite vast, there are other roads and many dirt trails that wind through the refuge that aren’t part of the Wildlife Drive that also offer stunning sights. The refuge is also a huge favorite with kayakers and cyclists. Me, I really hate to leave every time I’m there! 😉
What a great variety of birds you saw! The landscapes are beautiful too. I can see why it’s a favorite spot of yours.
Thank you, Deborah, it is such a diversified refuge, whether you want forest or marshes to enjoy and wildlife view. Me, I’m a marsh kinda gal! 😉
Nice Series of Images Donna! The UI
Wow, this looks like a wonderful place for observing nature – and so many birds!
Just a noted clarification of butterfly shots: the first ‘Monarch and Buckeye’ (and subsequent one below left) are not Monarchs but Viceroys (note line across lower wing, which Monarchs don’t have) and the mystery one is a Painted Lady.
Thank you, Eliza, you can see why I love this refuge. Thank you, too for ID help and correction! I do see that black line and have also looked at these two up close online to understand better the differences. With all our Monarch-craze of migrants going through the area, I neglected to even think about Viceroys. My bad! 🙂 Thank you again, my friend!
My pleasure, we all learn from each other. One of the great things about blogging. 🙂
Hi again! My iPad crashed while I was typing! The UFB (unidentified Flying Butterfly) is an American Painted Lady.
Again beautiful images!
Thank you, Reed, I appreciate the ID help! 🙂
As always, your photos are fantastic! What a beautiful gate they have. I wish I had a NWR close to me. The Blackwater NWR is so beauiful. Good work, Donna. 🙂
Thank you, HJ, you would love this refuge. Isn’t that gate gorgeous?!! The seven mile wildlife drive is awesome with your vehicle being a perfect photo blind, they don’t care usually about you. Lots of places to pull off and get out to walk as well. I always hate to leave when it’s time. 😉
I can see why you like it. Your pictures make it look very inviting.
You would thoroughly love cycling along the Wildlife Drive and then onto the surrounding roads. It has a big draw for cyclists for sure, including biking events. Tomorrow is the Worldwide Ironman Triathlon with the bike event portion being 112 miles long that will wind through and around this refuge. Here’s the link to check out: https://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/maryland.aspx#/axzz60l7GPsc0
A great post, Donna. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Isabel, and you’re quite welcome!
Thanks for sharing some wonderful photographs from Blackwater. My wife grew up in Cambridge so we experience the Eastern Shore often when we leave our base here in Ohio.
You’re quite welcome! We’re originally from Kent Island/Kent Narrows area then came here to Cambridge. We really love the Eastern Shore and all it offers. Including those delicious steamed crabs! 🙂
My wife and I were in Cambridge last weekend to attend her brother’s wedding. We enjoyed some of the crab cuisine . . . delicious!
🙂
I can see why you enjoy this refuge. The landscape is beautiful and its residents are so varied. Wonderful series of photos Donna!
Thank you, Belinda! It’s a year-round wonderland. 🙂
Perfectly lovely! My favorite is the Egret yoga! They seem to easily go from gawky to graceful and then to that frozen statue. My favorite is to watch them fly over the creek here, though I don’t get the unobstructed views through the trees. They’re still a marvel to watch in their serene flights.
Thank you, Gunta! Bird yoga looks pretty cool and they do it so well! I do love the egrets in flight, pure white and so beautiful. 🙂
What a beautiful reserve Donna, and such a variety of wildlife and habitat. A birders paradise!
Thank you, Ashley, it is an awesome refuge with so much diversity. Truly a birders paradise year-round! 🙂
Absorbing, inviting, beautiful, and totally intriguing photography!
What a beautiful place to live Donna
Thank you, Eddie! 🙂
Donna,what a beautiful album of photos. My favourites are where the bird’s reflection can be seen in waves.
Thank you, Deeksha, it is such a gorgeous refuge, I love spending time here. 🙂
It is so nice for you to have this wonderful oasis directly in front of your doorstep, Donna! And for us, because you like to share its beauty with us! 🙂
Tanja, if I could spend every day at this refuge I would. Its diversity is amazing. And the Eagles during the winter, wow! I had hoped to become a volunteer there this fall, but a new ‘chapter’ is in the making right now for my husband and I on leaving the area for a while to do some traveling. It’s a bittersweet time for me for sure….
AWESOME. You capture things so well, you make your audience feel like they are there.
Egret yoga…LOL!
Thank you so much, Vic!
If only I could stretch like that! 😉
Yeah. Heh. Me, too…