At the Lake - Blue Heron

Today was a beautiful day on Kentucky Lake. Hoping to capture some bird pictures, I took my Canon camera with me plus a zoom lens. 

I was lucky enough to get some fairly good pics of the Great Blue Heron. This one was busy looking for fish and let me take several shots. 

He stands so silently along the water's edge.

They like to be in shallow water and wait for a fish to swim near.

He soon had enough of me snapping my camera and was ready to take off.

They fly with slow wingbeats.

When the heron is soaring, his head is often hunched back towards his neck. 

Although many people don't like them on their docks because of the mess they make, I always enjoy seeing them on the water or in the air.

Hope you enjoyed the Blue Heron on Kentucky Lake - Judy

Linking to:

Our World Tuesday on Monday

Photographing New Zealand @ My Corner of the World on Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Wandering Camera @ Ink Torrents Graphics on the last Thursday of the month

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday 

Bird DePot @ I'd Rather Be Birding

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Saturday

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm

Birding and Boating on Kentucky Lake

We had a chance to go boating on Kentucky Lake today. It was a beautiful day on the lake, the sun was shining, the water was calm, and it was so relaxing to be in the boat just riding around. 

A pair of Pekin Ducks were in the bay where we keep our boat. Are you thinking Aflac yet? Or even Donald Duck?

These cute white ducks are the most popular breed of domestic ducks in the US. They are calm, very social and did you know they can't fly.

A Double-Crested Cormorant seem to be on guard as we left the bay heading out into the channel. 

In another bay, we saw turtles sunning on a log next to the edge of the water.

Kentucky Lake is 134 miles long and has 2064 miles of shoreline to enjoy.

Ring-billed Gulls are seen around the lake. If you look closely, you can see the black rings around the tip of the yellow bill. I wish the gull would have flown closer to our boat so my pics would have been clearer.

His black wing tips are spotted with white. 

When we came back into Cypress Bay on the lake, a Great Blue Heron was standing every so still. You can see his black eyebrow that extends towards the back of  his head. 

We couldn't get as close as I would have liked, the water was to shallow for the boat.

In the next shot, notice the orange blob in the air by the heron. What do you think it is?

Did you guess Monarch Butterfly? Yes it was. So here I was in a moving boat trying to focus in and get pics of a Monarch flying through the air. Sorry I did the best I could!

Thanks for joining me for a beautiful day on the lake birding and boating - Judy.

Linking to:

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday

Camera Critters on Saturday

I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon

Our World Tuesday

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

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Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life 

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Friday Photo Journal

Sweet Inspiration Link Party @ The Boondocks Blog on Fridays

Birds at Piney Bay - Camping with the Family

Over the Memorial Day weekend, we camped at Piney Campground on Kentucky Lake near Dover, TN. The water was so relaxing to watch. 

Shortly after we arrived, I started seeing a Red-headed Woodpecker in the trees and was able to get a few pics. This is my first one to photograph since living in Kentucky for 1.5 years so you know I was excited. 

Next my grandson saw a Great Blue Heron in a tree by the edge of the water. I hurried to get a shot and captured him in flight.

A Brown Thrasher was in the grass near the water.

Early one morning we saw Canadian Geese and their goslings in the water.

We had fun with our grandsons boating on Kentucky Lake.

My son-in-law had his kayak and the boys enjoyed time in it but stayed close to the water's edge. 

The weekend was great until a terrible storm hit. We did go home that evening between storms then returned the next morning. A few trees were down and lots of debris. We were thankful no one was hurt. 

Thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Linking to:

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

Watery Wednesday @ Watery Songlines

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Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life 

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Friday Photo Journal

Skywatch Friday 

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday

Camera Critters on Saturday

I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon