Category Archives: Bird Categories

Great Horned Owl in Waukesha County Wisconsin on May 29, 2025

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As I was walking through a park in Waukesha County a Great Horned Owl landed near me. It looks like it is a young owl maybe past the owlet stage.  Other species surrounded this owl in the tree, they were harassing it vocally. Usually you get some American Crows, but there were 2 Eastern Kingbirds, 4 American Goldfinches, American Crows and even American Robins where in the same tree towards the top where the owl was. The owl did not budge with all the racket. Eventually all the birds flew off and the owl was still there. It was a beautiful morning with full sun, mild temps and low winds. Image was taken on May 29, 2025.

The Great Horned Owl…

Black-billed Cuckoo at the Milwaukee County Grounds in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on May 26, 2025

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The County Grounds in Milwaukee County has had a handful of Cuckoos this past week both Yellow-billed and Black-billed. My visit there this time focused on the Black-billed Cuckoo. Like always, these birds are hard to find in the open without sticks or branches in front of them or even just finding them as they are elusive. Many times they are right in front of you and you just don’t know it until they fly off. I did get a couple of images of this cool species. It was a sunny/cloudy morning with mild temps around 50 degrees, and light winds. Images were taken on May 26, 2025.

The Black-billed Cuckoo, always looking for its next bite to eat…

Perched in a bush looking…

Going for a caterpillar…

In this tree was one place to find the cuckoos…

On these old plant canes was a place the cuckoos found caterpillars…

Ruddy Turnstones at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Wisconsin on May 23, 2025

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My first birding stops this morning were going to be the beaches along Lake Michigan in Milwaukee for shorebirds. McKinley Beach had 4 Ruddy Turnstones feeding on an algae mat at the beach. They were finding things to eat at the beach on the mat, fueling up for more of their journey north to where they will breed. It was a beautiful morning with temps around 47 degrees, full sun with some winds out of the NE. Images were taken on May 23, 2025.

Here the Ruddy Turnstone has something in the bill to eat…probably a crustacean

Something in the bill to eat…

This is one place Ruddy Turnstones find their food, on algae mats at a beach, with each wave in stirs the mats up and their food is everywhere…

Yellow-billed Cuckoo at the Milwaukee County Grounds in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on May 22, 2025

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There had been some reports of Cuckoos at the Milwaukee County Grounds so I decided to put that on one of my early birding stops for the day. When I arrived there was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo right in a tree near the parking lot. It was about 100 feet away getting out of my car. It was feeding on scrub brush getting a caterpillar on occasion while I was there. It was still early and cloudy too but I was able to get one photo of a species I only see once a year in spring if I’m lucky. I looked for a a while and found a Black-billed Cuckoo but that bird was far away perched in a tree that held a lot of branches so it was a bird to look at with bins, but still cool too. It was overcast, breeze out of the east and temps around 46 degrees. Images were taken on May 22, 2025.

The Yellow-billed Cuckoo…

Wild Turkey with eggs in the nest in Marquette County Wisconsin on May 19, 2025

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While out birding in Marquette County I flushed a Wild Turkey and my first thought this time of year that there is a nest close by. About 20 feet away from me under an old fallen tree was a nest. I took a couple of quick photos and left the area. It was an overcast day and cold with a good NE wind at times making it chilly. Images were taken on May 19, 2025.

The Wild Turkey eggs…

I hope they make it…

Scarlet Tanager at Lake Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on May 17, 2025

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At this time of year it is all about warblers but when you run into a Scarlet Tanager it take precedence as they are so stunning beautiful! A Scarlet Tanager was present while I was at there at Lake Park and it gave great views. It hung around about a 50 foot circle going back and forth from being on the ground to about a height of 5 foot catching small insects. It did this while I was there for about 15 minutes. It was always on the move and then just flew out of sight. The colors of the Scarlet Tanager are unbelievable to say the least as you can tell by the images below. It was a partly sunny day with mild temps around 50 and light winds. Images were taken on May 17, 2025.

The Scarlet Tanager…

The Scarlet Tanager looking for it’s next insect…

Looking for the next insect…

Going to the next insect…

So beautiful…

Franklin’s Gull at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on May 17, 2025

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While birding Lake Michigan on the lakefront in Milwaukee a Franklin’s Gull gave great views. It was by itself on the beach on May 17, 2025. It was partly cloudy, cool temps around 50 degrees and light winds. Images were taken on May 17, 2025.

The Franklin’s Gull…

At a distance…

Eastern Kingbird at Lake Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on May 17, 2025

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While birding Lake Park in Milwaukee I came across a Eastern Kingbird. It was continually going from tree to tree catching insects  near or at ground level. I’ll say it put on a nice show in front of me until it moved on to a different area at the park. It was a mostly mostly clouds and once in a while you saw the sun. Cool temps and some wind too. Images were taken on May 17, 2025.

The Eastern Kingbird so pretty in the tree…

Warblers at Lake Park and Wehr Nature Center Milwaukee County Wisconsin May 13-15, 2025

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It is warbler time and I had most of my luck at Lake Park and Wehr Nature Center so far this year. Wehr has been slower the last couple of years but Lake Park did well. Every year is different. I saw most species of warblers that we see here but did not capture images of all of them. Overall, a great couple of days out there so far, let’s hope it continues. I have put some images on my website/blog for interested ones to view. Weather has been good the last few days with temps around 70-80 degrees, no rain, normal winds and overcast to sunny skies. Images were taken between May 13-15, 2025.

Blackburnian Warbler, male

Bay-breasted Warbler, male

Black-throated Green Warbler, female

Black-throated Blue Warbler, male

Palm Warbler

Northern Parula, male

Black-and-white Warbler, male

Cape May Warbler, male

Yellow-rumped Warbler, male

Blackpoll Warbler, male

Chestnut-sided Warbler, male

Golden-winged Warbler, male

Tennessee Warbler, male

Black-throated Blue Warbler, male

Magnolia Warbler, male

Prothonotary Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler, male

Rose-breasted Grosbeak, male

Rose-breasted Grosbeak, female

Killdeer chicks in Waukesha County Wisconsin on May 7, 2025

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I have been following a location in Waukesha County that has had 6 Killdeer adults on it. I stop often hoping to see the little chicks running around. This morning as I looked the area over I spotted 3 young chicks doing just that. There is still an adult on a nest so there are more chicks coming I would think. Actually looking at the size of these chicks I think they may have been out for a while. This is a nice location as I have monitored and followed all this from my car. It was a pleasant morning with some sun, lows winds early and temps around 46 degrees. Images were taken on May 7, 2025.

One of 3 Killdeer chicks…

American Avocets at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee Wisconsin on May 7, 2025

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This time of the year I check the beaches on the Milwaukee Lakefront in case anything has shown up. Birds come and go but when I got to Bradford Beach I spotted with my bins some American Avocets pretty far to the north on the beach. Being a cold and windy day, few people were on the beach which was a good thing. But something I did not plan for was a lot of gulls and they were continuously harassing the Avocets forcing them north. I got near them once with some luck but then eventually the gulls forced them out on the water and out of sight. I went back to Pebble Beach which was the next beach to the south, and they were there but it was the same situation. I took a few shots in just a couple of minutes and they left with gulls chasing them. The American Avocets never had time to eat or rest while I watched them, they were always moving. Only one time two of the birds maybe had a bite or a drink of water. Still got to see them which is always a thrill. It was a partly cloudy day with some good winds at times with temps around 56 on the lakefront. Images were taken on May 7, 2025.

4 of the 5 American Avocets…

The 5…

One of the few moments they were in the water…

Maybe a drink or bite…

The gulls were always a couple feet away and moving them…

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers building a nest in Waukesha County Wisconsin on May 6, 2025

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On one of my birding stops today a bird caught my eye flying to a branch but then didn’t move on. As I took a better look it was a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and it was bringing in lichens to use in the construction of a nest. Two birds took turns hauling the lichen to the nest and tucking it in place to build the nest. They would also be in the nest moving around some rounding it out too. I’ll have to check back on this nest in the future.It was a mild day with light winds, sunny skies and temps around 65 degrees. Images were taken on May 6, 2025

The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher with lichen in the bill working it into the started nest…

Here the bird is rounding out the nest…

Rounding out the nest…

The pair…

White-eyed Vireo at Scout Lake in Greendale Wisconsin on May 2, 2025

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The bird of the day was a White-eyed Vireo at Scout Lake in Greendale in Milwaukee County. It sang beautifully on and off while I was there. Considered rare for the area as it’s normal range is a little south of here. We do see a few every year in migration though. It put on a great show along the lakeshore on the west side of the lake in the trees catching gnats. It was a cloudy day but temps were mild around 50 with no winds. Images were taken on May 2, 2025.

The White-eyed Vireo…

Willets at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on April 27, 2025

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One of my birding stops along the lakefront, McKinley Beach in Milwaukee provided great looks at 3 Willets. The actual location was Pebble Beach which is just north of the flag pole. They fed while I was there getting things to eat in the wave action. It was sun and clouds, nice temps around 50 with low winds. Images were taken on April 27, 2025.

The 3 Willets on the beach…

The Willet finding something to eat…

In the wave…

Looking for things to eat…

Wilson’s Snipe at Pennsylvania Avenue at Oak Creek in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on April 16, 2025

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The birding highlight of the day was the Wilson’s Snipe. There were about 15 of these shorebirds on Pennsylvania Avenue, some in the ditch and some in the field. They forged along the ditch and field and found things to eat while I was there, probing the ditch bank and field. On occasion they would rest. They blend in so well, easy to miss. It was a nice sunny day with temps around 50 degrees, a slight wind but nothing like we have had. Images were taken on April 16, 2025

The Wilson’s Snipe

Probing and finding things to eat…

The back view…

Sometimes in the water moving up and down the ditch…

 

 

Eared Grebe at Lake Park on Lake Michigan in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on April 11, 2025

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I heard a report of a Eared Grebe on the Milwaukee Lakefront. This is considered a rare bird for this area as it’s normal range is the Mississippi River and west. I am starting to do more birding on the Milwaukee Lakefront now that migration has begun so it was a place to check out. It was present and gave nice views from a distance. It fed the whole time I was there about 10 minutes. It was a mostly cloudy in the morning with mild temps around 50 degree but winds made it feel colder. Image was taken on April 11, 2025.

Common Grackle in Waukesha County Wisconsin on April 6, 2025

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While I was out birding I had a Common Grackle right outside my car window on a small tree so I took that opportunity to get a photo. It was displaying nicely which made for a nice capture. When you see a large blackbird with that yellow gold eye, it is a Common Grackle. It was a pleasant morning with lows winds and temps around 45 degrees with some periods of sun. Image was taken on April 6, 2025.

Great Horned Owl owlets in Waukesha County Wisconsin on April 6, 2025

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Out doing some general birding in Waukesha County and I stumbled across a Great Horned Owl nest. There were 2 owlets in the nest from what I could see. I did not see any adults around but I’m sure they were close by. Always fun to find a new nest especially when you don’t expect it. I took a shot and moved on to other areas. I’ll probably check back at this nest in a week or two. It was a pleasant morning with lows winds and temps around 45 degrees with some periods of sun. Image was taken on April 6, 2025.

Great Horned Owl owlets on the nest in Waukesha County Wisconsin on April 4, 2025

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I got a tip on a Great Horned Owl nest with maybe owlets on it.  I did not pass up the opportunity. When I found the nest there were 3 owlets sitting so cute. I took a couple of quick photos and left the location. It was a nice day with mild temps around 50 degrees and partly cloudy skies with low winds. Image was taken on April 4, 2025.