"Let's make it perfectly clear...

I don't like spiders and snakes. And that ain't what it takes to love me." Remember that song by Jim Stafford? It just came to me as I was creating this post. Don't worry, no spiders here, but there are snakes since a few of you said you didn't mind, and I'm running low on material.

Broad banded watersnake

Smaller broad banded watersnake

Let me pretty things up with some dewberries

Possibly a diamondback watersnake.

Large clump of trillium growing beneath a young tree.

Sorry for any heebie geebies or ear worms resulting from this post. :)

Thawing

It's nice to see signs of spring here and there. These are shots I took hiking with Double D in between birding field trips.

Two boaters at Greenwood Park. I really want to learn to kayak or canoe the waterways. It looks like such a peaceful activity.

Fishing pier at Greenwood

Can any birders out there help identify this hawk?

Double D spotted him on the street light as we were returning home late one afternoon.
He quickly pulled into an adjacent parking lot like a well-trained birding assistant should. :)

Rickety bridge at Waddill Wildlife Refuge

Wildflower at Waddill

Trillium, also at Waddill

We had a not so nice surprise with our Honda when the engine light came on over the weekend. Apparently, the unseasonably cold weather caused squirrels to climb underneath the car and chew the wires--a $630 repair. I'm sure this is payback for all the Pam I sprayed on the bird feeding station. Grrrrr. Our pest control person came out and put sticky boards underneath both cars. I really hope they stay away because I don't want to deal with that mess.

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday. Thank you, Stewart!

Hiking

Double D and I went hiking in and around Baton Rouge for our weekend entertainment. Louisiana is abundant in nature, with many areas designated for the public to explore. We traveled to Blackwater Conservation area, Capitol Lakes, Mary Ann Brown Preserve in St. Francisville, and finally ended up at LSU Lakes. We didn't see much at Blackwater, but it definitely has potential and we will go back. Here are some things we saw.

An overcast day so had to get a little creative with the processing on this one. Used a solarize preset in Lightroom.
Downy Woodpecker - Blackwater Conservation - 2/23/13

New growth at Blackwater Conservation - 2/23/13

Lichen on tree at Blackwater Conservation - 2/23/13

Capitol Lakes - 2/23/13

This has to be the rock star of all the Muscovy Ducks.
Capitol Lakes - 2/23/13

Came face to face with a Nutria. I told him we had to stop meeting this way.
Capitol Lakes - 2/23/13

Rare Eastern Chipmunk - Mary Ann Brown Preserve - 2/24/13

Double D at overlook - Mary Ann Brown Preserve - iphone - 2/24/13

Eastern Swallowtail - Mary Ann Brown Preserve - 2/24/13

Gazebo at Mary Ann Brown Preserve - iphone - 2/24/13
Having the iphone is great for landscape shots. I think it does a great job and it's one less lens to carry around.

Red-bellied woodpecker - Mary Ann Brown Preserve - 2/24/13

Same woodpecker as above

Trillium - Mary Ann Brown Preserve - 2/24/13

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