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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Nurturing Nature

Since Tuesday was supposed to be the last of our sunshine for a while, I found myself back at Bluebonnet Swamp hoping to spot the Eastern Towhee I had seen last week. No such luck, but I met a very nice fellow blogger visiting all the way from the UK. Steve, I enjoyed your delightful accent and showing you around the swamp introducing you to our native wildlife. Hope you will visit our wonderful state again sometime!
An abundance of lizards were out in force.

Downy Woodpecker, female

Gray Squirrel munching on a sweet gum ball.

Damselfly

Steve helped me spot this little fella. 

Titmouse

Titmouse with visible tongue getting ready for the suet.

When I returned home the sun was still very bright, so off to the backyard I went where I was dazzled even more!
Look who came to visit my neighbors' Chinese Tallow tree: the Cedar Waxwings!

If only I could get their back wings - the color and spots of red are exquisite.

Some type of sparrow resting on the palm tree.

Yellow-rumped warbler swallowing a crane fly. Good! One less to enter the house.

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47 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2013 at 9:48 AM

    How awesome that you met a fellow blogger, all the way from across the ocean at that! Love the images as always, though I must admit I am a bit jealous that you have such an abundance of wildlife so close by. Soon my friend, we will get together & have an outing. Love the squirrel and the woodpecker...great captures! Big hugs from down the road...xoxo

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2013 at 10:05 AM

    Great shots, Gail! I like the lizards.

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  3. Linda at To Behold The BeautyFebruary 20, 2013 at 10:06 AM

    What! No link to Steve's blog? :)

    I love all of these. Those waxwings are gorgeous, aren't they? The lizards look like they have a zipper unning down their backs. Your photos are just spectacular!

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  4. Kittie HowardFebruary 20, 2013 at 10:08 AM

    I couldn't help but smile when I saw the lizards. Oh, the childhood memories of caressing them until they fell asleep, then we'd put them down and tip toe off. (All of which we probably shouldn't have done!)

    Fab photos, Gail!

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  5. Linda at To Behold The BeautyFebruary 20, 2013 at 10:08 AM

    Well, I blew that one, didn't I? I found the link. And that "unning" should be "running." I'm off now to look at Steve's blog.

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  6. UnknownFebruary 20, 2013 at 11:31 AM

    Great series!! Love those lizards. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  7. TexWisGirlFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:00 PM

    great job catching the warbler w/ the fly! and yay for waxwings at home! love the lizards and that you got to meet a UK blogger! :)

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  8. Ruth HiebertFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:03 PM

    Beautiful pictures. I like the action going on in some of them.

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  9. KerryFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:09 PM

    If you saw an abundance of lizards you must have very sharp eyes! That first guy is well-camouflaged.

    Your swamps are so full of life, what a pleasure it must be to wander around with a camera.

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  10. hootnonnyFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:19 PM

    You never disappoint!

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  11. Lisa @ Two Bears FarmFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:42 PM

    I love lizards.

    That is so cool you met a blogger from the UK!

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  12. Lisa @ Two Bears FarmFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:42 PM

    I love lizards.

    That is so cool you met a blogger from the UK!

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  13. Evelyn S.February 20, 2013 at 1:43 PM

    You are quite the bird photographer, Gail! Wonderful captures of them in their habitat...doing what birds do! I do love Cedar Waxwings, but I haven't seen any here for more than a year. They used to swing by for a visit to the berries on an old juniper bush in our yard.

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  14. the wild magnoliaFebruary 20, 2013 at 3:27 PM

    you search and find the birds, a detective of sorts. and bugs......

    wonderful captures.....i am learning of Louisiana birds, some i even know by name now.

    good job!

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  15. SuzanFebruary 20, 2013 at 3:29 PM

    WOW Gail!! You caught the bird eating the fly!! I didn't know that anything could eat a sweet gum ball! Brave squirrel!!

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  16. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2013 at 4:30 PM

    So many great shots! I love the waxwings. We don't see them often here.

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  17. NancyFebruary 20, 2013 at 4:59 PM

    I love the shots of the Waxwings....I don't think we have them but they are very cute.....

    Don't like lizards but you got some good shots and how neat to meet a fellow blogger...

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  18. eileeninmdFebruary 20, 2013 at 5:13 PM

    Gail, wonderful series of birds and critters. The lizards are cute!

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  19. DeannaFebruary 20, 2013 at 5:28 PM

    How fun that you met up with a fellow blogger and from England no less. Wonderful images, love the Cedar Waxwing, what a gorgeous bird and your capture of the warbler swallowing the fly is awesome!!

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  20. Sallie (FullTime-Life)February 20, 2013 at 5:45 PM

    Steve met the perfect person to guide him! Very cool. Great birds of the day. And at home too. Tax for the wonderful pics...I'm a happy birder after reading this post!

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  21. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2013 at 6:20 PM

    awesome captures, once again!

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  22. Esther JoyFebruary 20, 2013 at 7:01 PM

    Here in the Ozarks we share many of these same little critters/creatures! I think most of our lizards must be hiding now, though, with the threat of an ice storm headed our way!

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  23. renae February 20, 2013 at 7:42 PM

    Ooooh Gail, those lizards are great captures. They are faster than birds sometimes, & to get so close!!!

    I didn't know a titmouse was a bird. I thought it was a mouse. hahahhaha

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  24. DaveFebruary 20, 2013 at 8:13 PM

    Your wildlife photos are always so absolutely beautiful. It is really nice that you were able to hook up with a fellow wildlife blogger.

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  25. Gina GaoFebruary 20, 2013 at 8:46 PM

    These are really neat shots! I liked all of them.

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

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  26. BarbaraFebruary 20, 2013 at 10:58 PM

    Amazing shots and I'm so jealous you saw a Cedar Waxwing. They haven't been to visit us in a couple of years (that I know of!) How cool that you met a fellow blogger!

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  27. UnknownFebruary 20, 2013 at 11:25 PM

    Amazing photos once again. That little Lizard looks like something you would find here in the desert.

    Hugs~

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  28. Stewart MFebruary 21, 2013 at 2:14 AM

    I dont think I'd ever more away from the window if there was a chance to see wax wings - what great bird.

    Cheers and thanks for linking to WBW.

    Stewart M - Melbourne

    PS: glad you enjoy WBW!

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  29. Anni February 21, 2013 at 4:37 AM

    First, it's always great to meet another blogger with the same interests as you. How fun it must have been. Secondly, the creatures of the swamp [I am going to have to go out to Google and check where this is exactly], are stupendous. And of course your photography is always tops!!! I had to smile to myself when your one photo has "some kind of sparrow". Yes, I can empathize with that statement....there are so many different ones, and difficult to decipher just exactly which one.

    Love your image shares, as always.

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  30. AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 7:36 AM

    Wow - you excel at nature shots! These are gorgeous.

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  31. EG CameraGirlFebruary 21, 2013 at 8:16 AM

    Oh how I wish I had a titmouse at my feeders. They look like such sweet birds.

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  32. AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 12:34 PM

    just a plethora of lil critters =)

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  33. Rosie GreyFebruary 21, 2013 at 2:03 PM

    Wonderful photos again, Gail! Thanks for showing blue sky and sunshine - that makes me forget the snow and the freezing temperatures outside! How fun to meet a fellow blogger! :-)
    Have a great weekend!

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  34. Coloring Outside the LinesFebruary 21, 2013 at 2:20 PM

    Fantastic captures- really like that lizard- almost hidden against the tree bark.

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  35. Optimistic ExistentialistFebruary 21, 2013 at 2:21 PM

    Love the woodpecker :)

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  36. A Creative GraceFebruary 21, 2013 at 5:06 PM

    Those are some amazing pictures there, I love those lizards!

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  37. Buttons ThoughtsFebruary 21, 2013 at 5:15 PM

    Oh lucky Steve and you, I would love to tour the swamp with you and your excellent eye for photography. B

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  38. renae February 21, 2013 at 5:39 PM

    Awh, thank you, friend! I knew the watch and the scarf would need to be worn together. My daughter did the rest. I had worn the scarf the week prior with browns and thought it would be a great post outfit. I took the photos and it was very offffff! So my ydd came to the rescue.

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  39. PatriceFebruary 21, 2013 at 5:41 PM

    Nice photos, Gail, and how nice to meet a fellow blogger - love those cedar waxwings!

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  40. KathyFebruary 21, 2013 at 5:50 PM

    I can't wait for the cedar waxwings. Our red-tipped photinia is full of red berries and we have a flock who visit in either February or March and hang around long enough to get drunk on all the berries and absolutely strip it. It's about 10 feet tall, 10 feet long and 6 feet wide and 30 of those birds can devour the jillion berries in a couple of days!

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  41. Rambling WoodsFebruary 21, 2013 at 7:51 PM

    What a treat to meet another blogger. I have not had the pleasure of doing that yet. Nor the pleasure of seeing cedar waxwings. Wow and I can't believe you have a damselfly already.. You have spring Gail.. and thank you for the birthday wishes.. Michelle

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  42. Chatty CroneFebruary 21, 2013 at 8:41 PM

    Gorgeous - I am still trying to figure out HOW you get these great shots. Love them.

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  43. HilaryFebruary 22, 2013 at 12:29 AM

    What a bunch of beauties. Your critter photos always are. It would seem that your little titmouse pal has been banded.

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  44. JoriFebruary 22, 2013 at 12:54 AM

    Love the blue around the lizards eye. Your photo's are always incredible!

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  45. Richard PeglerFebruary 22, 2013 at 4:25 AM

    Another fabulous set of images Gail. I've a real soft spot for lizards (rarely see them over here), and the Hairy Woodpecker is superb!

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  46. Thistle Cove FarmFebruary 22, 2013 at 11:19 AM

    Gail, your photos seem to become better and better! Meeting fellow bloggers is such a sweet gift; so glad you met your new UK friend.

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  47. Rosemary AubutMarch 3, 2013 at 7:07 AM

    You are in love with nature and it shows!

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