Howdee all,
We have arrived at Killen's Pond State Park in Delaware where we will stay for three nights. We plan on birding Bombay Hook NWR tomorrow and Saturday if it doesn't rain to hard.
Here is our new Home….very wooded…no satellite reception..so Jeff had to go to Applebee's to watch the Celtics and the Bruins. My broadband Internet is a bit slow. I don't know if..or how long.. it will take to upload this post…
Let me show you around the area……
It was quite windy today so we decided not to drive to Bombay Hook. Instead we walked around the lake here at the park.
We saw and heard quite a few birds…We noticed that there were many Robins..a bird that left our area of NC more than three weeks ago. There seemed to be a turf war going on with the Great Crested flycatchers today. The Wood thrush gave us a concert..Man do I love this song..I am going to buy the album!
We walked halfway around the pond and had to walk on the road a bit..
There was a dam for the pond and lots of nesting Swallows on the concrete below the road..just over the dam.
Barn Swallow
Check out the video below and see for yourself..then tell me what you think the turtle is doing.. He's quite the cool looking fellow..check out his dinosaur tail. Of course this could be a female..I have no clue.
Eastern Kingbird hanging out in the Sun. Wish he would eat all the darn Mosquitoes.
Pink Lady's-slipper Cypripedium acaule Ait.
Here we go with my bark fetish…love this one..I still haven't had time to ID this…the leaves look like an oak. I did a quick Google and decided I need to get a photo of the leaf for an ID.
Quercus ??? 
Hope to have some Birdie pictures tomorrow..Trying out my new camera.
See ya…thanks for stopping by!
I think the Turtle wants to go surfing! hehe
ReplyDeleteAwesome post as always. Have fun!
Wow...You do have the life traveling around. I remember visiting your blog in the past. It's great that you can bring us along on your adventures with your blog. That does look like a snapping turtle and we have them in our pond. I have done battle with them when they grab a duckling or duck. This is the time of year when they are getting up from their hibernation under water for the winter. Egg laying is in June. They aren't basking turtles so you only see them during breeding season..Cool video.. Michelle
ReplyDeleteReally cool turtle video. i think it's a "he". That looks like a very nice place to spend some time. Where will you be staying in Cape May? I'm not far from there. Hope you have good weather.
ReplyDeleteIt must be great to take off and find spring emerging again. I loved the photographs and video.
ReplyDeleteYou are seeing all the birds we saw at New River in WV! I learned the call of the wood thrush so well that I recognized it in the background of a commerical recently! What a lovely sound!
ReplyDeleteCool blog. Nice pictures. You will have lots of springs this year. Can't wait to see blog of walk tomorrow.
ReplyDelete...beautiful new location! That turtle was so slow and persistent climbing up and then hanging on. I totally fell in love with him! Great find. (Love the Wood Thrush photo. I've never had one pose so nicely, they always seem to be skulking around on me.)
ReplyDeleteYour new place looks delightful. It is fun to follow the seasons.
ReplyDeleteThat is one brave turtle. Maybe it's fishing.
I love traveling with you, Dawn! My favorite is the woodthrush. I have yet to get such a nice image but I hear one singing right now. Great post. Look forward to your stroll with Jeff G.
ReplyDeleteOh what a lovely place you've arrived! "On the road again" - we used to sing that song in the car when on family vacations - teehee! Whatever that snapper is doing, it sure seems to like it! Here, we usually see the snapper only in the most still waters, usually with a muddy film on its shell, or we see them in the road (rescue time.) Unlike the slider or bog turtles that we pick up without hesitation and move from the middle of the road when they're busy crossing it to go lay their eggs, we are extremely careful moving the snapper. If you ever need to move one off the road, remember they have a whole lotta neck under that shell and can quickly disable whatever has just picked it up!
ReplyDeleteAnd oh my... the cherished Lady's Slipper. We used to have a small population until AT&T came through about 20 years ago (laying their fiber optic cable.) We could not divert their path on our property due to the endangered Lady Slipper being directly in that path and the fact their path would destroy them. We moved them in hopes to preserve them, but - no luck. I'd give anything to see them in these woods again (lol - why did Morels just enter my head?)
Great post! I always enjoy your posts so much.
hi
ReplyDeleteblog walking
nice to be here
MaineBirder
ReplyDeleteYeah, I did see a surfboard around..tee hee
ramblingwoods.com
Michele, How did you do battle with the snapping turtle..I want to know details! I am picturing you playing tug of war with turtle...duck in between..lol
bobbie,
Oh how do u tell if the snapper is a male? I didnt know how to tell..
Yes we will be in Cape May..monday for five nights ..at campround.
How far are you...maybe we can take a walk or say hello.
NCmountainwoman ,
thanks...Yes..thats one cool thing about this lifestyle seeing spring once twice or three times.
Kathiesbirds,
I wish I was with you all in WV..I am sooo jealous...oh well maybe next time!
Adele,
I want spring lilacs...still havent seen any other than that nursery we went to...I will do two blog posts soon.
Kelly,
Yeah..that turtle was sooo strong ..I was facinated by him and the strength that it had.
We have had such great views of Wood thrushs lately! Oh..I have a new favorite bird song "ode from a Veery." have you heard them?
Gaelyn,
Yeah I think your right about the turtle..it stuck its head into the water as though it was sipping little goodies.
Vickie,
Thanks Vickie,
Happy to take you along on our journeys..You have had some up close and personals with birdies yourself lately! took some photos of or bird walk with Jeff..will post in a few..
Jay,
You have moved a snapper before???? You are some mountain woman..earth mother..who I now know is not a guy! tee hee
Sorry about your ladys slippers disappearing...Damn "progress"!
Morels ..well I was just thinking of them myself as we were on this birdie walk in Delaware and the earth was moist..and lots of tulip populars..Didnt see any...boo hoo
SHIMI,
Thanks for stopping by..glad you enjoyed the blog.
Lovely camping spot - very peaceful looking. Lots of nice pictures in your post - beautiful wild azalea and lady slipper. Great video of the turtle trying to reach high ground so he/she doesn't get washed away? Our mosquitoes are due to arrive any day now, always a hectic time trying to get the garden done before they descend on us. Have fun birding.
ReplyDeleteHi Friend.. Interesting post.. Keep up the good work.. Will drop by your blog often.. Do find time to visit my blog.. Keep in touch.. Take care.. Cheers mate!
ReplyDeleteI love the wild azaleas. That turtle was something else. When I first looked at the picture it looked like he or she was surfing.. LOL That zoom on that camera is incredible. It must be the larger one with the great zoom???? Love the bark, birdies, birdy on the nest and all the other cool stuff around you..
ReplyDeleteDawn,
ReplyDeleteThis post made me feel a little homesick! We lived in Magnolia, DE (just a wee bit south of Dover) for three years before moving to Charlotte in the summer of 05.
Delaware was flat and beautiful. I miss the beaches and those fabulous sunrises and sunsets...
Have fun!
Mary
I loved that turtle video!! I would like to be there...
ReplyDeleteI have never seen such a turtle before.It's amazing!
ReplyDeleteDoes it belong to the family of lizards?
Besides birds you have managed to see some turtles
ReplyDelete