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…
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…
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…
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…
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
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
One of my birding stops this morning gave nice looks at 2 Killdeer. I’m sure they will be nesting at this location, looks like they are ready to as the habitat is perfect, gravely area with some grass spots around with full sun. We will see.It was a nice morning with partly sunny skies, temps in the lower 40’s and some wind at times. Images were taken on April 3, 2025.
Some preening…
A stop at a Great Horned Owl nest provided nice looks at an adult with one owlet visible and another hidden in the nest in Milwaukee County on March 29, 2025.
I came across a new Great Horned Owl nest in southeastern Wisconsin with 2 owlets in it. An adult was close by over seeing things when I was there. It was an overcast day with mild temps around 45 degrees and low winds. Image was taken on March 18, 2025.
I had a opportunity to photograph a pair of Eastern Bluebirds and did not turn it down. The pair found things to eat. Insects are starting to move around with the warmer temperatures. It was a cool morning with sunny skies and a little bit of a breeze. Images were taken on March 15, 2025
Eastern Bluebird, male
Eastern Bluebird, female
Eastern Bluebird, male
Eastern Bluebird, male
Eastern Bluebird, female
Eastern Bluebird, male
Eastern Bluebird, male, a soft landing…
Eastern Bluebird, male, fluffing up…
Eastern Bluebird, male, with some wind…
Eastern Bluebird, male, early morning sun, perched pretty…
Eastern Bluebird, female
Eastern Bluebird, male, with some wind…
Birding in Waukesha County I came across a pair of Sandhill Cranes. They were finding things to eat and along with that I noticed they have started painting themselves. That took place at another location like a ditch or something where they get that orange brown soil to paint on their feathers. Painting their feathers is something they do so when they nest they will blend in with their surroundings. It was a beautiful day with plenty of sunshine, lows winds and temps around 48 degrees. Images were taken on March 12, 2025.
One of the Sandhill Cranes…some painting on the feathers there…
Sandhill Cranes with more painting done on their feathers…
More looks at the painting…
Preening…not sure how long these two have been back…
