Camera Critters. another critter from Yellowstone

Seeing animals was high on my list of things to do when we were in Yellowstone and the Tetons National parks. Both parks are rated in the top ten for wildlife viewing. For this weeks camera critter I am posting my photos of the Moose. I just love these animals, there is just something about them and makes them a
cool critter.


It was in the Tetons and we were walking a loop trail about Heron pond or Swan lake. This is where we came across this big guy and his female was not far off. It was my coolest sighting of the trip. This big Moose was eating something in the water and then he would lift his head back up and look towards us and there was the famous MOOSE DROOL. We sat and watch this big guy for awhile, we also noticed he wore a collar. I can only assume the park service was tracking this guy, I am not sure.

This is his women, I assume. She got mad and walked away. Maybe because he was showing off.

I had a few different moose sightings but for me the Moose drool sighting was the coolest.

Sometimes I got shots like this one, this big guy was walking away.

Thanks for checking out my blog and my Moose critter. Thanks to the host Misty Dawn for hosting Camera Critters, I love looking at everyone's critters.
Please click on my Camera Critter link to see more wonderful critters.

Watery Wednesday.. Wash, DC Warld War II memorial and fountain.

For my Watery Wednesday post.. is the World War II memorial fountain.

Pacific Tower and pillars

Atlantic Tower and pillars

Some of the stars

Washignton Mounument

The World War II memorial is just beautiful and is near the reflection pool which was empty at the time of this visit. The WWII memorial consist of towers one for the Atlantic and one for the Pacific, 56 pillars around the towers, the fountain and a plaza. There is a Freedom wall with 4048 stars each and star represent 400 that American men that died in the war.

And of course being the birder I am I had to check out the ducks that were swimming in the fountain.

Mallard Ducks

Thanks for checking our my blog and my Watery Wednesday post. For more great Watery photos please click on my watery Wednesday link. Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy!

Some Alaska scenery for Scenic Sunday

Scenic Sunday Oct 4, 2009

Before I have shown some photos taken from the ship while cruising, but these photos are of some scenes from our shore excursions. In Juneau my son and I did a combo tour of the Meadenhall Glacier, the Juneau Glacier Gardens and a Salmon Hatchery.

These are trees pulled out of the ground with their roots, they are then put back into the ground upside down and flowers planted where the roots are now. Very cool idea and very pretty.

Hubby went off on a helicopter ride to the Glaciers.

 In Sitka we took a nature hike excursion and then came back and walked thru the Sitka Nat'l Historical park.

The trail thru the Park had various carved totem poles. The Totems were beautifully carved, designed and each one told a story.

In Ketchikan we walked around the town and did some shopping.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my Alaska scenery photos.  To see more Scenic Sunday photos please click on my link. A big thanks to the host of Scenic Sunday.

Some Yellowstone Critters..Camera Critters #78

Yellowstone National Park has a lot of critters. Just about anywhere you look you can see some kind of animal. I read that in 1902 the Yellowstone buffalo herd was down to just 23. Now the Yellowstone Buffalo herd has grown to 4000 or more.

 They are amazing to see and when I first saw them I thought of what it would have been like back in the 1800's when there were millions of the free ranging buffalo. Wow, can you imagine seeing that many buffalo.
The first time I drove into Yellowstone and was caught in the middle of a buffalo jam, I thought it was cool.

 The buffalo would walk in the middle of the road and cause a huge traffic jam. It felt safe in the car even though some came close they were snorting and sometimes I thought they made a growling noise. We were in multiple buffalo jams sometimes it was just one Buffalo and sometimes there were larger groups of buffalos in the road. The scenery is wonderful, not like being in a traffic jam on the beltway that's for sure. I didn't mind at all sitting in the car and soaking it all in besides I was on vacation..no worries and no hurries.

Maybe another time I will show the Bear jams and the moose jams. I just love the animals of Yellowstone.
There is a buffalo farm near my house and everytime I ride past this farm I think of the Yellowstone Buffalo. I loved seeing them free in the park.

To enjoy more camera critters, please click on my link. Also thanks for stopping by my blog to see my critters and thanks to Misty Dawn for hosting.

Skywatch Friday

I started a new blog about my travels and for photos of scenery and the wildlife I see. I love to travel and I really love seeing wildlife of any kind.

I am starting this post with a Skywatch Friday entry, it is from the Alaska cruise I took with my family.

For more great Skywatch photos from around the world please click on my link. Thanks for viewing my photos and have a great weekend.

During our cruise to Alaska and the inside passage we had  longer daylight and shorter nights. So the skies would were looking great.

And special thanks to Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Ivar, Fishing Guy and Louise for hosting Skywatch Friday.

Ricketts Glen State Park

 

I feel like I have been enjoying the outdoor world and nature all my life and even more so all my married life. My hubby loves hiking, especially to the highest mountain top if he can and all the waterfalls he can see. So I guess this is our world.

Ricketts Glen State Park is located in Pennslyvania. The closest BIG town I know is Wilkes Barre.

This park is the only park I have been to that has a loop trail that passes 22 named waterfalls. Now that is a lot of water, especially after a rainy season.
I actually think we saw more than 22 if you go off the loop trail for a little bit.
The highest water fall named Ganoga Falls is 94 ft. This info from the PA DCNR "to see most of the waterfalls, a 3.2-mile loop can be taken by going on Highland Trail and the Glen Leigh and Ganoga Glen sides of the trail". I felt like I did 5 miles roundtrip which included the separate side trail to the last waterfall.





The loop trail consists of a lot of steps and they are uneven steps. Sometimes they can be wet steps, most of the waterfalls are close to the steps. So I would say it is some what of a difficult trail. Maybe not for the experience hiker. The rock walls, moss and ferns are out of this world beautiful. You got to go there and see them for yourself and while you are there check out the waterfalls.

I can not go anywhere without checking out the birds. On this hike I heard some Vireo's and I believe there were some Scarlet Tanagers. Being a birder, I have to stop and listen to every bird I hear. So I have to say it takes me awhile to do this whole loop trail. What’s the hurry, anyway! I have been twice with my family and most likely will go back again.


To see more of the That's My World photos and on Wednesday visit the Watery Wednesday photos please click on my links. Thanks for visiting my blog and pictures.
And a big thanks to all the guys and girls who put these memes together.

Rocky Gap State Park, Flintstone Maryland

I can not imagine how I got as old as I am and never been canoeing. Not that I am saying I am old because I am NOT. Maybe, because I was scared silly about the canoe overturning? Well, today I canoed for the first time at Rocky Gap State Park in Maryland. At the boat rental building you had your choice of a canoe, one person kayak, two person kayak and a paddle boat. They also had a pontoon boat ride. We rented the canoe for an hour and we like it so much we stayed out for two hours. We canoed our way around much of the lake and into some coves. There was one time my hubby wanted to hand me the binoc's and I got a little over excited about the canoe rocking but all went well and we didn't take a dip in the lake. Big sigh of relief!

I was hoping to see birds around the shoreline but all we saw were some Mallard ducks. I could hear some Chickadees, Catbirds and some Nuthatches in the woods along the shore. No matter where I am I can always see some Turkey Vultures flying in the skies above.

We must have seen 30-40 mallard ducks along the lake shore.



We were not the only people with the idea of going to Rocky Gap State park. I think with it being Labor Day weekend a lot of people had the same idea of enjoying the park, lake, cookouts and the good weather. After canoeing we walked part of the lake loop trail and we could see good views of the beach and scenery around the resort.









Along the lake loop they had an aviary and being a birder I had to stop and check it out. They had a lack Vulture, two Red Tailed Hawks, Two Barred Owls, Two Barn Owls, a Screech Owl and a Great Horned Owl. I wanted to take pic's but the wired cages made it difficult. I did try a shot of the Barn Owls only because I just love Owls.





The resort had a very nice garden for the birds and butterflies. I noticed many berry bushes and butterfly bushes planted and a pond. There were hummingbird feeders and regular bird feeders. I thought it was cool that the resort had such a nice wildlife garden.

Now, that I have been canoeing and can feel safe, I'm sure hubby and I will be back to Rocky Gap.

More scenery pic's from Rocky gap

Thanks for visiting, have a happy day!