March 24, 2018

Varied Weather, Varied Critters.

The snow on Wednesday looked pretty while it lasted. I posted some pictures of it before and I thought you might like to see this peaceful landscape. There are some geese over by the dam but they appear so small you may not be able to see them.  
Birds stand out against a white background, so I take advantage of that by taking extra pictures on a snow day. The sparrow looks cold but he was outside as the snow fell.

Red winged blackbird.

The mourning doves like to feed on the ground. Fortunately, other birds scatter seeds from the feeders so they get a share.

The day after the snow fell, much of it melted.  The robin was strutting around in the morning.

By Friday, most of the snow was gone except on the mountains. I considered going up on Skyline Drive to take a look, but the entrance was closed due to ice on the road. Along the short section of road leading to the gate, I spotted a deer on the trail that goes to Dickey Ridge. On nice days this trail is busy with hikers but it was very quiet on this day.


There are some parking spaces for the trail so I parked and quietly got out of the car and got some closer photos. I was using a zoom lens so I wasn't really as close as this looks. This deer appeared to see me but I stood still so it didn't get alarmed. I got more shots and hope to share some later.

By the way, this trailhead is within walking distance of Front Royal. It's one of the places people hike into the park without paying the fee that's charged for using Skyline Drive.

Next we see a turkey that was strutting around in a yard that's near my neighborhood.


Last but not least is a picture of Flash. His appetite has been off lately and that makes it hard to give him his pills because normally I hide them in food and this morning he wouldn't even eat treats. He finally ate a meal tonight, mostly of hamburger.

17 comments:

  1. Wow, gorgeous photos.
    I liked all the photos but the first one is fantastic, a place of peace and serenity.
    Have a nice Sunday
    Greetings
    Maria de
    Divagar Sobre Tudo um Pouco

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  2. ...spring is such a variable time.

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  3. Hello, Pretty snow scene. I love all the birds, the turkeys are a cool sighting. Love the deer too. Your Flash is a sweetie, I hope he is ok. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. I also appreciate your visit and comment. Happy Sunday, enjoy your new week ahead!

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  4. Super to capture the deer, which is what telephoto lenses are so good for doing!

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  5. The house finch is very cute!
    Hope you dog will be OK!

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  6. wow, these are so pretty!! i really adore the empty bench and the deer. the deer are always a favorite. have a happy sunday!!!

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  7. Beautiful shots!

    Yes, that deer noticed you.

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  8. The landscape is so serene - love it! I enjoyed seeing your birds, and the deer photos are great. I hope Flash is feeling better soon

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  9. That turkey is beautiful -- the wild ones I see (in Oregon, not here) are kind of scrungy looking compared to yours. Love the birds against the snow (but I'm glad it melted -- it's almost April for goodness sake).... and the deer is beautiful. Interesting about being able to get in to hike without paying the Skyline Trail fee!

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  10. Lovely pictures. My favorites are the snowy scene and the deer. I hope Flash feels up to eating more and starts feeling better.

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  11. Beautiful photos! I really love the close-up of the deer. Hope you dog starts to feel better and finds a better appetite soon.

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  12. Beautiful series. Thank you for visiting my blog, for encouragement, helps me a lot.

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  13. the Robin seem to be in a hurry :) Love the deer :)

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  14. The snow scene is frame worthy. Love the deer. Hope Flash gets his appetite back soon.

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  15. Love the first shot with the bench - so peaceful. Flash does look a bit sad - hope he's back to perky soon!

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  16. Some great pictures here Linda, I enjoyed seeing them all.
    Hope Flash is doing ok, bless him.

    All the best Jan

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