Saturday, March 9, 2019

What's in a Name?

We went to Blue Run Park over the weekend and saw all kinds of neat critters. New leaves are forming and it's getting harder to see through the foliage and almost impossible to take photos now.


We watched this beautiful Green Heron.


He's so much smaller that other herons and you don't see much 'green'. 


I always come home and look at the ID book and then realize it is indeed a Green Heron even though he looks midnight blue with a dark red neck.


We see a lot of white birds along the river, especially Ibis and Egrets but this is a WHITE Little Blue Heron. They are white as juveniles. 


And then there was the Red-Spotted Ant Mimic. And he was pretty much just what his name implies. He ran across the trail just like an ant....a really HUGE ant. 


And when we got the pics home and zoomed in close, we saw lots of legs! It was a spider of all things!


 With a big red bulbous body! Well, I never!!!

  And how about a tiny lavender frog? 

 

Nature is filled with beauty AND the unusual! 

Did you see anything out of the ordinary this week?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE
and I’d Rather B Birdin’.

37 comments:

Kathy said...

Wow! These creatures are awesome! I have never seen any of them. Thanks so much for these pictures. They are wonderful! I love that little lavender frog.

Susie said...

Diane, My sighting this week was a robin...but he's been here for about 3 weeks. Spiders really give me the creeps. I like that little frog, so cute. Your new header photo is really neat. I do like seeing all the birds you and your hubby see while out hiking. Blessings for a fun filled weekend. xoxo, Love you, Susie

Mia said...

Beautiful photos of herons and I love the from. I haven't seen a lavender frog in Greece, only green frogs. Kisses, my friend.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

Nature is beautiful. Love the herons, great sightings. I enjoyed this post with your beautiful photos of the birds and the cute frog. The ant does look big, great find. Thanks so much for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend. PS, I appreciate your visit and comment on my blog.

Tom said...

...I love your Green Heron, I've only seen one before. Enjoy your weekend.

Sandy said...

I just saw my usual, but I love that green heron and frog.

Net - "It's a Wonderful Movie" said...

Incredible images! You always get to see such interesting critters and bugs on your walks. Thank you for sharing! :)

Blessings! Net

MadSnapper said...

rember this summer when I started feeding tadpoles and fed them for 3 months? that frog is what they were and are, we had a lot of them that survived. I have never seen a spider like that and hope I don't. I have often wondered why they named the little green heron that because I do not see any green. your photos are beautiful

Hootin Anni said...

A lavender frog? Wow. Never seen one before. I really, really like that green heron in shadow.

I'm here today from sharing my kitty, Isaiah, at Eileen's Saturday Critters.

bj said...

So neat that you live in a place where you can see all these different critters...

Ann Thompson said...

Love the pictures of the green heron. I never knew there were lavender frogs

gypsyrose said...

you have some great places to visit its good to see the wildlife that you have over there Love the tiny lavender frog

The Feminine Energy said...

Awwwww.... Mother Earth.... don'tcha just love her? :-) Thank you for posting such awesome pictures. ~Andrea xoxo

Out on the prairie said...

Green Herons will dangle a bug in the water to attract a fish to eat.

Edna B said...

I love the photos, and no, I've never seen a lavender frog. He's quite handsome. I love photographing nature. You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.

Terri D said...

I rarely see anything out of the ordinary... until I open your blog post!! LOL I have NEVER seen a spider like that! Yikes! Thanks for always taking us along on your hikes!

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Wonderful photos except for that scary looking spider. Ewww.

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

Love your nature photos--and no I did not see anything unusual this week--
still way to cold to go walking and take my camera with me--but we just gotta be getting some warmer days here pretty soon--right????
luv, di

NanaDiana said...

EWWWW on the spider...never met a single one I liked and most of them did not like meeting me---it was kind of a dead end for them if you know what I mean. Watch all the spider peeps scream at me now...got bit by one once- it got infected, my arm had to be lanced and I still have a 2" scar and was-sick-sick-sick with fever and red lines up my arms.

That little white blue heron is just so cute! You are right -I don't see any green on your friend- he looks dark blue to me...so much for living up to you name...lol

Have a wonderful walk tomorrow and watch out for those spiders! xo Diana

happyone said...

Wonderful photos.
I've seen a green heron a few times at the little town pond here by me.
Unusual frog, never saw one like it before.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

That frog really interests me. I have never seen a frog quite like it - and I want to!

Carla from The River said...

The Red Spotted Ant Mimic .. wow, what a name and what a critter.

Anu said...

Hello. Great bird photos. A tiny lavender frog - fantastic!

Anni said...

Thanks so much for sharing this post with us at I'd Rather B Birdin' It's always a pleasure visiting with you Diane.

Vee said...

"Beautiful Green Heron" proves that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. ☺

Debbie said...

those first few captures of the heron are just amazing, talk about up close and personal. they are beautiful!!

i love my bird books, i always find them to be so helpful and informative!!

this looks to be a great outing, you saw lots of beautiful birds and cool things. our leaves will be coming back soon and boy does that make taking pictures hard for me!!!

Adam Jones said...

The Green Heron looks amazing.

hula-la said...

Wow...what great shots! Love that cutie lavender frog!

Sue said...

Only God could makes such beautiful creatures, all for our enjoyment! We are so blessed, I have been watching our male turkey do a courtship dance this week,for his girlfriends,
Thank you for sharing.
Blessings,
Sue

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

We did see a lot, but we didn’t get such good pictures. The frog (in the perfect color) is really cute.

Jenn Jilks said...

Actual green foliage!!! I love it!
(ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

Little Wandering Wren said...

Your white little blue Heron did make me smile! I'm glad I didn't get to see your huge Ant Spider though!
Hope your week is calmer, I have been keeping up with all your blog woes and revival. It would have finished some of us off, so well done Team Lavender Dreams good to still have you here!
Wren x

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

Those frogs are soooooo cute

Red Rose Alley said...

You came across many unusual critters at the trail, Diane. Oh my, that red ant is HUGE! Be careful of the spiders, some can be poisonous. The White Heron is so cute. That's a pretty picture. An the Green Heron in the first picture is a funny looking fellow. The lavender frog was just for you. : )

~Sheri

Lowcarb team member said...

Love your photographs of the beautiful Green Heron.

All the best Jan

Cherdecor said...

Beautiful green heron.....did you take a look at his mouth or are they teeth? Chad took a picture of a green heron he found here in Ohio around the lake. I matted it and framed it and hung it in our newly painted bathroom. The bird has the same markings as yours, but the mouth feathers do not look so wicked, if you know what I mean. Maybe yours is a male and mine is a female. (us females have to stick together Hee Hee!)

Jeanie said...

I don't see green herons often. Thisone is truly beautiful. Marvelous close-ups.