Blue Bunting

 

A Blue Bunting is looking out over the Shenandoah Valley.

 

 

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Luray Caverns

 

Luray Caverns in Luray, Virginia. The one mile walk through the cavern is amazing when you know it has taken 4,000,000 centuries to make.

A drapery formation.

The Ghost Column.

Stalactites grow from the ceiling.

Stalagmites grow from the bottom up.

This looks like a big canyon or pool but really is a reflecting pool from the roof reflecting off of about one inch of water.

Smaller formations from the ceiling are called Soda Straws.

And of course you need a wishing well. All the money goes to charity.

 
At the end of the walk there is a memorial to the local veterans who gave their lives in the four big wars.

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When Emu’s Attack

 

Well, not really attack but it is a little unnerving when they stick their heads in the car window looking for something to eat.

To be honest it kind of freaked me out, while my daughter thought it was really hilarious to watch until I told her about the big hairy bull that was sticking its head through her window. LOL!

It may just be that their heads and big beaks look a little prehistoric. Visions of Velociraptors  kept running through my mind as it peaked around toward me for some food, or was I suppose to be food?

When they found out I had no more food left I got this view from many of them.

 

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Swan Cygnets at Lake Logan

After reading in the newspaper that the Mute Swans had had seven baby cygnets we decided to take my Mom over to see them. Mom always loves going over in the spring to watch them.

Daddy was busy grooming himself….

While Momma was busy watching all those little ones.

Unfortunately there were only five cygnets left in the nest so something must have happened to two of them.

As if on cue or maybe it was the dinner bell, they all decided to go for a swim.

 
Such yummy green stuff.

Not knowing much about swans I thought this poor little thing had something wrong with its leg. It was bent up onto its back.
Then I noticed that they all were doing it so I knew there was nothing wrong with their legs but that when floating they must raise their feet up. LOL!

I had never noticed this with the big swans because their wings are big and must hide their feet.

Such cute little things so fluffy and with their black bills.

 
It was good to see water levels in the lake were back up after they had dredged it.

 
Since the nests were lower this year because of the dredging of the lake there was a  lack of  cattails for making the nests high enough to keep the eggs safely out of the water if we had a very wet spring. Luckily the rains were just enough but not enough to completely cover the nests and now that the cygnets are bigger if the nests get covered they will get by. The cattails are  growing back in so the swans should have a good supply for making nests next spring.

Lake Logan Spring Residents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oops!

Busy Bluebirds

 
The Bluebirds have been busy watching their nests.
Both of the Bluebird boxes in the woodland garden  have residents in them now.

 

 

 

Along the Upper Trail

Wednesday my daughter and I walked along the upper trail from Old Mans Cave to Rose Lake.

It was a beautiful day for a walk and there were quiet a few other hikers out.

It was a little noisy at the beginning of the trail with all of the construction going on there putting in a by pass around the parks parking lot.

But as you get closer to the lake and over the hill it gets quiet again.

The water on the lake was a little choppy from the breezes but it did not keep away a few people that were fishing from the banks.

A few Dogwood trees were still in bloom near the lake.

 

 
And at the bridge over the upper falls the Pagoda Dogwoods were starting to bloom.

Bluets were spotted all along the upper trail.

Canadian Violets were blooming in the shadier areas along the first part of the trail.

Common Violets were growing everywhere.

A few Yellow Wood Violets were spotted among some fallen, decaying trees.

Golden Ragwort was also spotted at the beginning of the trail.

The native Geraniums are now starting to come into bloom.

And we spotted a few lyre leaved  Rock Cress.

One White Avens plant was just starting to bloom.

And of course the ever present Dandelion fluff blowing on the breezes,

Some Red Admiral butterflies were spotted and then there was this little brown Skipper flitting around.