Love, Joy and Peas: National Zoo

Showing posts with label National Zoo. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Macaw Parrot Photos by Ben Wheeler

Happy wild Wednesday! My talented husband kindly agreed to share his macaw parrot photos with us. He took them on a recent trip to the Smithsonian National Zoo in their delightful bird house.

I love the macaws, their bright feathers and friendly expressions.

There are usually two macaws in the bird house but we only saw one on our last trip. I hope the other one was just hiding or getting routine care.

Thank you for visiting! May God bless you, the zookeepers and the beautiful macaws!

Related posts with photos by Ben Wheeler:
Assorted zoo photos: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/07/ben-wheelers-zoo-photos-for-wild.html
Baby monkey photos: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/08/baby-howler-monkey-photos-for-wild.html
Black cat pink tongue: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/07/black-cat-pink-tongue-cuteness-photos.html

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Peacocks in Trees and Pretty Feathers

Happy wild Wednesday! I took these photos in the bird house at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC. This handsome peacock watched me take his photo.

It was the first time I'd seen both peacocks up in the tree together. I didn't see the peahen (female peacock) on this trip but there are always some amazing birds in the bird house.

I love the beautiful peacock feathers.

Other visitors entered from another direction and the peacock looked towards them (there are three ways to enter this part of the exhibit).

Here's a close up of the cascading peacock feathers. They are so pretty. God has amazing creativity!

Thank you for visiting! May God bless you!

Related posts:
Cheetah cubs: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/07/cute-cheetah-cubs-and-wild-wednesdays.html
Green bird captivates cats: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/02/cute-green-bird-video-drives-my-cats.html
Ben Wheeler's zoo photos: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/07/ben-wheelers-zoo-photos-for-wild.html

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Cute Dwarf Mongoose Enjoys Pumpkin

Happy November and harvest time! My dear husband took me to the National Zoo so I could see the cute animals enjoying their pumpkin enrichment time. I thought the dwarf mongoose was especially adorable in her pumpkin house.

Three of these cute critters took turns jumping in and out of the pumpkin.

But this one stayed the longest.

She could watch her peers running around the rest of the habitat from her window.

See her tiny little feet? She jumped out right after this shot. I thank you for visiting and hope these photos made you smile. May God bless you in this new month and always!

Edit/note added 11/5/14: I am prayerfully going to take an estimated two-month break from the blog, but, God willing, will be back with brief holiday messages and regular posts in the New Year. If there's something you'd like to see or read more about for 2015, please comment below or email me at lovejoypeas@gmail.com. May God bless and keep you!

Related posts for you to enjoy:
Cute Halloween cats: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/10/happy-halloween-cats-and-flowers.html
Cute baby monkey: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/08/baby-howler-monkey-photos-for-wild.html
Funny Halloween cat: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/10/moose-cat-rocks-sombrero.html
Cute rabbit photos: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/09/cute-yard-bunny-photos-for-wild.html

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Funny Orangutan is Ready for Halloween

Last week I promised you orangutan photos and here they are. I hope you enjoy them!

At first it seemed like all the orangutans were sleeping under their sheets (how cute is that?!) but when I looked closer one was awake and looking right at me.

The orangutan that was awake quickly came up to the window to say hello. I thought he looked like an orangutan in a ghost costume. While this cute and funny orangutan looked ready for Halloween he really just wanted to say hello.

He waved me closer to the window and we both held our palms to the glass, which was really an amazing moment to treasure. I communed with him for a while but eventually had to leave.

He walked all the way to the edge of his habitat to say goodbye. I hope his friends woke up quickly so he could have some orangutan fun. I wonder how long he held onto his sheet? In all of our visits to the Zational Zoo we hadn't been in the Great Ape House so early before and the orangutans in sheets were a new experience.

I hope you enjoyed this week's wild Wednesday post! Would you rather see cute lion cubs or funny goats next week? Please let me know!

May God bless the orangutans, their keepers and may He bless you too!

Related posts:
Bison sisters: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/09/american-bison-sisters-zora-and-wilma.html
Funny alpacas: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/01/laughing-llamas-or-funny-alpacas.html
Cute cheetah cubs: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/07/cute-cheetah-cubs-and-wild-wednesdays.html
Funny lemurs and more: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/07/lion-cubs-lion-dad-clouded-leopard-and.html

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

American Bison Sisters Zora and Wilma for Wild Wednesday

Happy wild Wednesday! I was blessed with the opportunity to see Wilma and Zora, two American bison sisters, on the second day they were on public exhibit at the National Zoo. I read somewhere that they are rare "pure" bison whose ancestors haven't been bred with cattle and are important to the survival of their species.

These majestic creatures didn't seem fazed by the crowd of people watching them. They just enjoyed grazing on the fresh grass in their habitat.

Their habitat is on what I think of as the main trail of the zoo; straight down the road and to the right from the main entrance for pedestrians (after the restrooms but before the turn off to Asia trail).

They were very calm and alternated hanging out with a bit of distance between them...

And being close enough to snuggle together. I hope you enjoyed my bison photos! Next week, God willing, I plan to post some photos of a funny orangutan who's ready for Halloween.

May God bless the bisons, their keepers and may He bless you too!

Related posts:
National zoo fishing cat kittens: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/09/fishing-cat-kitten-photos.html
Sea lion feeding: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/09/sea-lion-feeding-photos-wild-wednesday.html
Cute cheetah cubs: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/07/cute-cheetah-cubs-and-wild-wednesdays.html

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Rare Clouded Leopard Photos for Wild Wednesday

Happy wild Wednesday! I'm delivering on last week's promise of more clouded leopard photos. Isn't she gorgeous? I love her pink tongue and nose.

I'm not sure what she was smelling in the air but it was enough to keep her from her nap.

At least for a little while.

She would alternate between smelling the air and getting comfortable.

And finally her desire to nap won. I love her giant paws. Clouded leopards are both beautiful and rare members of the big cat family.

Thank you for visiting! Be sure to pop back in for floral Friday if you like flowers. May God bless this precious clouded leopard, the National Zoo residents and staff, and may He bless you too!

Related posts:
Cute little lion cubs: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/06/cute-little-lion-cub-photos.html
Zoo with Pam: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/07/lion-cubs-lion-dad-clouded-leopard-and.html
Playful cute lion cubs: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/06/six-cute-little-lion-cubs-romp-and-rest.html
Tiger cub sneak attack: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/03/tiger-cub-launches-sneak-attack.html

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Six Cute Little Lion Cubs Romp and Rest

Happy wild Wednesday! I took these photos on the Saturday before Father's day when the four smaller lions made their public debut at the National Zoo and joined their two slightly older cousins in the yard. They had a great time playing and running around together and were a delight to watch.

You may have noticed that the first photo had only five cubs but rest assured that all six were out and having a great time. Sometimes one would rest with mom but a few minutes later would resume romping again.

They especially seemed to enjoy jumping on each other, on this set of stairs and on rock piles.

The cubs' adorable smallness was even more obvious when they were near their mom.

I love how fuzzy the baby lions are and notice how this little cub still has its spots. Cuteness!

I almost left out this shot (I usually try to keep posts to five photos or less) but the log gnawing combined with standing on two still-spotted legs was too cute to resist.

I hope you enjoyed sharing this special experience with me via photographs. May God bless these lion families, their keepers and may He bless you too!

Related posts:
Little lion cubs: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/05/little-lion-cubs-for-wild-wednesday.html
Cute cats (baby lions): http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/06/cute-little-lion-cub-photos.html
Cheetah cubs: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/07/cute-cheetah-cubs-and-wild-wednesdays.html
Tiger cubs: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/11/cute-baby-tiger-videos-haiku-poem.html

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Otter Cuteness for Wild Wednesday

Happy Wild Wednesday! These cute otters were playing and hunting for food in their habitat at the National Zoo. They're part of a family of river otters who love each other and sleep in a giant pile together. I love watching them.

Take an already cute otter and catch its tongue sticking out and the cuteness is multiplied. This shot makes me smile.

The otters ran from their pond to a little stream once they realized there was food buried in nooks around the stream.

This otter found a stash of hidden food.

And promptly gobbled it up. I hope you enjoyed these adorable otters. May the God who created them and us bless you beyond your wildest dreams!

Related posts:
Otters in winter: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/01/cute-and-squeaky-river-otter-family.html
Sea lion feeding: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/09/sea-lion-feeding-photos-wild-wednesday.html
Fishing cat kittens: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/09/fishing-cat-kitten-photos.html

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Cute Little Lion Cub Photos

Happy wild Wednesday! The lion cubs were frisky and fun to watch this week at the National Zoo. As adorable as these two baby lions are, I'm thinking that when joined by their four slightly younger cousins (predicted for this coming Father's Day weekend) the cuteness will be even greater. The adorable baby lion above is about to pounce on his sister.

Here you see the brother and sister lion cubs followed by their mom. They make a cute lion train.

I thought it was really strange when my feral born cat chewed on some mulch but apparently cats like to chew on wood, given that this lion cub was gnawing on this branch.

Sometimes the cubs' mom let them jump on and off walls but other times she stopped them. If they didn't listen to her warning growls they received a physical reprimand.

And that reprimand didn't look like much fun but it was only seconds later until the cub was off running around so it must have appeared worse than it felt. The lion cubs are adorable and, according to regular viewers, usually out starting around 11:00 am.

I hope you enjoyed these cute little lion photos! May the God who created the lions, our earth and everything in it bless and keep you!

Related posts:
These lion cubs in May: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/05/little-lion-cubs-for-wild-wednesday.html
Tiger cub video: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/11/cute-baby-tiger-videos-haiku-poem.html
Tiger cub sneak attack: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/03/tiger-cub-launches-sneak-attack.html
Cheetah cubs: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/07/cute-cheetah-cubs-and-wild-wednesdays.html
Cute bear cubs: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/08/andean-bear-cubs-playing-and-eating.html

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Dancing Andean Bear Cubs

Happy wild Wednesday! Andean bear cubs Nicole and Curt (brother and sister) seemed to dance (they were probably play fighting) in their habitat on our last visit to the National Zoo. Andean bears are also called spectacled bears because of their unique facial markings.

On most visits they seem to be sleeping so it was nice to see them active.

These are two miracle bears. They are rumored to have been conceived after their father died. You can read more about them here.

If you live close enough to visit, you might want to visit soon because they may soon "go to another Zoo." Their mom already has a new mate, although the adult bears haven't been introduced yet.

May God bless and keep you, dear friends!

What is your favorite kind of bear?

Related posts:
Andean near cubs' birthday bash: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/01/andean-bear-cubs-birthday-bash.html
Little bear cubs playing and eating: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/08/andean-bear-cubs-playing-and-eating.html
Bear claw cleaning: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/02/bear-claw-cleaning.html
Lion and bear tongues: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/02/lion-and-bear-tongues.html