I love the Brown Thrashers that visit the camera feeder. They are such beautiful birds.
And we get lots of house sparrows. It’s not their fault they are non-native. I’m also non-native.
This poor bird looks a little strange because it is standing kind of close to the camera plus I think it’s just a teenager. I looked a little strange when I was a teenager as well. Of course some people I think I still look strange, but that is getting off topic.
I am linking to Saturdays’ Critters.
We went on vacation for a week or so at the very end of June. Sorry to say I did not get very many “live critters” but I had my handy Merlin app so I was able to identify the little birds that I could not see but could here.
At a bar in Santa Fe I spotted this Desert Dogs sign painted on the walls. I thought it was cool.
Pagosa Springs, Colorado was dry as a bone. The San Juan river was way down and there was a burn ban in the area. We walked by the US Forest Service Ranger Station and they had Smokey Bear out.
We did find one live critter. A young mule deer was wandering around the river bottom grazing.
There were lots of birds in Pagosa Springs.
On the way back to Tulsa we stopped in Guymon, Oklahoma in the panhandle. They had this cow sculpture out in honor of the local cattle and meatpacking industry.
So that is it for our trip in terms of critters.
I am linking with Saturday’s Critters
Here’s our sweet Lizzie. She is the queen of chill.
And our not so sweet Pomeranian, Kodi. Showing off a fantail while begging food from my wife.
And a Blue Jay at the Feeder.
And a pair of mourning doves perched on our fence.
I am linking to Saturday’s Critters
From a bike ride last month. I found this Great Blue Heron at Zink Lake on the Arkansas River in Tulsa.
On another day last month I was hiking on Turkey Mountain and came across this Red Shouldered Hawk. They are so intense!!
And then just a short distance down the trail.
This deer looking at me.
And a couple miles later
Found this deer in the shadows.
I am linking with Saturday’s Critters
Last week I posted photos of various animals at the Beavers Bend Safari Park that were on the walk through part of the facility. This week I am showing you some of the animals that we saw in the drive through part.
Whitetail Deer
Sable Antelope – Native of Southern Africa
Fallow Deer – From Europe
Banteng – Southeast Asia
Red Stag – – originated in Europe
Female Blackbuck – Indian and Nepal
Female Blackbuck and a Wildebeest (aka Gnu) – The Wildebeest is originally from Eastern and Southern Africa
More Blackbucks
And yet another Blackbuck
Pere David’s Deer – Originally from China. Now extinct in the wild.
Another Pere David’s Deer
A Llama chewing its cud on a hill.
An Elk resting in a grove of trees.
It took us quite a while to do the drive through part of the Safari Park. A good time was had by all. I am linking with Eileen’s Saturday’s Critters
As part of our trip to southeast Oklahoma’s Hochatown we visited the Beavers Bend Safari Park. They have quite a collection of animals. Many in enclosures and others out in the woods confined by fences but otherwise roaming around. I’ll post about the roaming animals next week.
Common Emu
A vervet monkey. Sorry about the camera focusing on the cage instead of the animal.
A Baboon
Another Baboon
Red Kangaroo
A Llama
A Sulcata Tortoise
That’s it for this week. I am linking with Eileen’s Saturday’s Critters
At the end of May we took a little trip down to southeast Oklahoma and stayed in a cabin close to the Beavers Bend State Park. A favorite place to go for us that is not too far. It was a combination getaway and birthday celebration for our son, Logan.
Driving around we came across this deer in the middle of nowhere. Deer are prevalent in the area.
I am not sure if this was the same deer or not.
We went on a hike on the Lakeview Lodge Trail at Beavers Bend State Park. We love the trail. Not many people, it is not too technical nor does it have huge elevation changes. We saw this far away deer and several of its friends. They all stayed away from us and disappeared eventually.
The woods were full of birds. We could hear them and spot small birds here and there. Thank goodness for the Merlin App to listen to the bird chatter and id them for us.
At the cabin we spotted this tree frog late one evening. Sorry about the grainy fuzziness of it. It didn’t stay long.
The State Park has its Woodland Heritage Center where they cover all sorts of things about life in the woods. The logging, the history of the area, woodland firefighting. They have this large piece with Smokey Bear. My dad was a Forest Ranger for the US Forest Service in the West. We went through the museum with him years ago and he kind of brought the exhibits to life with his knowledge, experience, and insights. He is gone now but I feel close to him every time I go through the museum. Lots of happy memories there.
And we celebrated son, Logan’s birthday while were down there. Lots of family memories down there.
I’m linking with Eileen’s Saturday’s Critters. Check them out. Lots of animal lovers who are also good photographers.
A house finch at our backyard camera feeder
A 10 second video of a finch.
A male Northern Cardinal
A mourning dove. I’m keeping the doves all fat sassy now days.
And a video of our Pomeranian Kodi on a walk. he is such a floof on a walk.
I am linking with Saturday’s Critters
Here is out Pomeranian, Kodi with his dog toy. He is a little dog with big feelings and when he gets them hurt this is how he consoles himself.
This Kodi, with our rescue terrier, Sadie. They don’t like it when my wife is gone. Sometimes Kodi howls to express his sadness.
And this is our backyard feeder with a female cardinal and a dove sharing the space. I am getting about 500 to 600 visits a day from various birds. Literally 95% or so doves or sparrows. Hardly any squirrels any longer since I used chili or habanero pepper laced bird feed and safflower seeds intermixed with other feeds.
I am linking with Eileen’s Saturday’s Critters
Back in late April I went on a hike at Oxley Nature Center here in Tulsa. I have a new mirrorless camera that I was trying out. It is very light and has a hand strap so you can carry it easily and take photos quicker. So off I went.
I think this is a red-headed woodpecker. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Same bird, a few feet away. It’d be nice if the birds would have some manners and come and perch within a few feet instead of back behind stuff.
I think this is an eastern bluebird.
I don’t know what this is. Google lens was confused as well.
A couple of ducks paddling around Coal Creek.
Three deer checking me out from the tall grass.
An indigo bunting maybe. I’ll have to be getting a zoom lens for my new camera I think.
And a poem from Sasha Martin who was Oxley’s Artist in Residence a few years ago. Her poems are scattered throughout Oxley. I them.
I’m linking with Eileen’s Saturday’s Critters.