Finally we got a good look at a Loggerhead Shrike.
We know they are out there but we don't see them up close very often.
These were taken on Hike #100 from the Pruitt Trailhead. We hiked a short distance on the HTP trail and then went over to the Florida Trails in hopes of seeing the Passion Flower again.
We thought we might see the Passion fruit but it was still flowering!
There was a beautiful Red-shouldered Hawk perched in a tree.
And we weren't sure what we were seeing here until we got home and determined it was a Juvenile Blue Grosbeak! How exciting!
More fun in the parking lot...this Bobwhite walked out from under the tree!
I want to include a butterfly of course! How about this pretty Skipper?
And what do you think this is? Any ideas?
It reminded us of the bag worms that we've seen on evergreen bushes in years past.
It's still hot but it has improved just a little and we are enjoying getting out more often. It's a job keeping some of these trails mowed but we sure appreciate it!!!
Have you seen anything unusual this week?
Enjoy your weekend!
There are some AMAZING critter photos at this website, Wildlife Photography Awards HERE !
There are some AMAZING critter photos at this website, Wildlife Photography Awards HERE !
I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE
and I’d Rather B Birdin’.
43 comments:
You always find such great birds on your hikes!
...I love the passionflower and those lovely butterflies!
Diane, The hawk looks so beautiful. I love them and like to see them in flight...but do not want them here to get the smaller birds. The bobwhite is so cute. That crusty looking thing is something that would make me scream if I touched it. LOL Oh that mowed rail looks so inviting. Blessings to you, xoxo, love, Susie
I that is one fine-looking Hawk he's a beauty! I love the look of the mode round 2. The only thing we've seen out of the ordinary is a day of 4 inches of rain a day of 6 in of rain another day of 4 in of rain another day three more days of two in each day and now we have this monster storm on the way.
Hello,
Looks like another great hike, nice sighting of the Shrike, Bobwhite and the Hawk. I do not see the Blue Grosbeaks often, they are pretty. The Passion Flower is lovely. Take care and stay safe. Thank you for linking up your post. Enjoy your day, have a happy weekend.
WoW!! everyone was quite cooperative today, finding wide open spaces for pictures!! i don't know what the unidentified object is, but i'm sure someone will know!! the passionflower is gorgeous and it was fun to see the bobwhite, i don't see them here!! and noooooo, i have only seen the usual suspects lately!!!
have a happy weekend, our weather is suppose to be perfect!!
Marvin got a great picture of a praying mantis the other day and his new camera really caught every detail. Nature is amazing.
you're lucky! there is one place I love to go...birding, and it too has a natural path...but, our city waits umtil the grass is knee high before mowing. that sucks!
you saw some fantastic wildlife!!
A Bob White! I hadn't heard or seen one of those in so many years. The call was so common in childhood. Glad to see they are surviving somewhere.
So many beautiful birds and I love the passion flowers. I'm not sure if I want to know what that other thing is! Have a great weekend Diane :)
Hi Diane, beautiful photos of the birds. Have a nice weekend. Greetings Caroline
And what a tiny bird he is! No wonder he is hard to photograph!!! :-)
Oh that passion flower!!!
And hawks are majestic, though I don't like "their way of life." LOL
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A always liked hiking when we used to visit Florida! What a nice assortment of creatures that you saw!
Another fantastic hike and what lovely creatures you met along the way. Have a wonderful day and weekend.
You see things I would look right past if I was hiking. Thanks for taking us along on your hikes and teaching us how to see God's beauty all around us!
Beautiful bird photos! I don't think I've seen a Bob White in the wild. What a beautiful bird. I'm really enjoying your hikes. You have a great day, hugs, Edna B.
Lovely birds!
I has been years since I have seen Passionflower - very pretty!
Have a wonderful weekend!
I've seen the bag worms too but have no idea what is. I'll look around a bit and see if I can find out what it is.
That ensure was a lot to see on your hike
Oh I haven't seen a Shrike in a long time. We used to see them up north. They call them the "butcher bird". You saw some beautiful sights...and that was some kind of caterpillar all camouflaged with leaves and stuff I bet. Be interesting to see what it becomes!! I love seeing your pictures.
I don't think I've ever seen a shrike! Nicely done.
Loggerhead shrikes are really hard to find. I don't know why, but we've also had to wait & hope for them.
be well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
It was very unusual seeing students walking around the hallways wearing masks this past week. They don't need to wear them in classes where we can distance. It feels bizarre.
I'd rather have seen some of the beautiful sights you've recorded on your walks. That insect (?) looks like nothing I've ever seen before. Beautiful birds. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Nice photos. The passion fruit flower is stunning.
I like your blog header, very nice. Great shots of the birds and butterfly. Very interesting picture of the thing that reminds you of the bag worms. Happy weekend.
I dont know why, but I just think that the lil bobwhites are such CUTE LITTLE BIRDS. They are the first one as a child I learned their call. I love that picture of the hawk you got, that's a good one! You see birds there we don't see here, that is for sure. I am impatiently still waiting on the butterflies to arrive.......I think they ARE ALL IN FLORIDA at your house, LOL. Hope your weekend is going well. Have ya'll visited any of the springs there in Florida....I don't remember if you've posted about them before or not? Alexander Springs or Silver Glen? I just think those are such beautiful places..........the water is amazing.
Hello. Wonderful sightings and great photos. Thank you for sharing.
I can't even imagine what that "thing" is... a nest of some sort, perhaps? For an insect of some sort? Gee, I'm not much help, am I?!! ~Andrea xoxo
Hi Diane. You found some super things on your hike. Shame that no one could ID your mystery object. The hawk is fantastic and the grosbeak too. Those autumn youngsters can look so different from mum and dad.
Gorgeous images of the birds, I do love the Blue Goshawk, precious.
I'm back to wish you a hapoy day. Be haopy, be safe. And...
Thanks for linking in at IRBB this weekend.
you have many nice species in your area. Loved to see the shrike. We have shrikes but I have not seen any this year :( Not good.
That skipper is a beauty, but such a long tail it has. Very unusual to see. Ours don´t have that.
Take care.
Shrikes in general are wonderfully charismatic birds, and soon Northern Shrikes will be moving here for the winter. There is an endangered subspecies of Loggerhead Shrike that breeds on a couple of alvars in Ontario, one of which we often visit, but have not done so this year. COVID changes many things!
No idea what that is. I hope someone else does as I'm curious now. Interesting how it has bits of leaf stuck (?) to it. Your bird sightings are wonderful. Always fun to capture one that has been elusive. We did see something unusual just yesterday. It will probably appear on my blog this week.
Great photo of the Shrike ~ and lovely series of nature shots ~ You go on the best hikes ~ enjoy ^_^
Live each moment with love,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
You have a good eye for beautiful photos!
The at of leaves is interesting. I have no idea what it is.
The Loggerhead Shrike looks soft and fluffy! As for the mystery brown thing, it looks like Nature's attempt at modern art -- in other words, I have absolutely no idea what that is. You have an excellent eye for finding the most interesting things to photograph!
Yes, LOVING the slight change in the weather. Fall must be in the air for even Florida!!!
You had some great finds! Nice shots of them all.
I've only seen one loggerhead shrike her. It was a treat and a surprise.
Beautiful photos. I do wonder what that thing might be....
Hope you have a great new week!
That passion flower is amazing, isn't it? I'd love to see it in person. So many wonderful things you see every day on the trail. And I love your Header picture, Diane. It's so pretty.
Have a good week ahead.
~Sheri
What lovely finds, Diane. That hawk looks mighty powerful but all your birds are lovely!
The shrike is awesome! I have only seen one once and weirdly it was in a campground when we were traveling. We’ve seen their impaled prey and their nests here in Oregon for our whole lives it seems but had never actually seen the bird! It was exciting and I know you thought so too! ....your hike was lovely.
Muy bonito e interesante tu paseo. El insecto puede ser una oruga de mariposa hay muchas parecidas. Besos.
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