I had the opportunity to photograph some Wood Ducks, juveniles and did not pass it up. These beautiful ducks gave nice views on a gorgeous sunny day with mild temps. Images were taken on September 17, 2021.
Wood Duck, juvenile male…
Wood Duck, juvenile female…
Wood Duck, juvenile male…
Wood Duck, juvenile male…
Wood Duck, juvenile male…
Wood Duck, juvenile males…
Wood Duck, juvenile male…
Wood Duck, juvenile males…
Walking Lakeshore State Park I observed a Black-bellied Plover at the beach area. This juvenile bird gave nice views. It walked back and forth along the beach area getting things to eat. It was a gorgeous morning with sunny skies and pleasant temperatures. Images were taken on September 6, 2021.
The Black-bellied Plover, juvenile…
Something in the bill to eat…
Down it went…
Close up…
The bird was finding plenty to eat…
More things to eat…
Some preening…
Just another shot…
A stretch…
A back view…
And more to eat…
Another nice treat…
As I walked Greenfield Park this morning I came across a juvenile Great Blue Heron. The heron was walking through a weedy area out about 25 feet from shore. It moved slowly through the weeds catching a few fish and missing a few too. It was a warm morning and only going to get hotter with mostly sunny skies and little wind. Images were taken on August 24, 2021.
Hunting in the weeds listening and waiting for the next chance to catch a fish…
A try and a miss…
A nice catch here…
On its feet, so silent moving through the weeds listening and watching for something to catch and eat….
Such a beautiful bird…
Getting low in the water, it must see something ahead…
Just a nice pose…
Attack mode…
Another nice catch!
Moving into some deeper water here as there must be something ahead…
And another…
I saw the report of a Snowy Plover at South Metro and decided to take a chance to get this life bird on my Wisconsin life list. Jessica H found this bird and got the word out. It was 7:15 PM and they lock the gate at 8:00 pm. I took off, got there and after going down the 121 steps, the security guard told me, turn around sir! He was kicking out a couple of young kids fishing and then me. A girl in the parking lot there told me there was a path along a fence line. I found it and went down the bluff walking through acres of poison ivy, not me friend. After finally getting to the beach I found the bird. #360. I hope the bird hangs around for others to see it. New image taken on July 23, 2021
The Snowy Plover
The Snowy Plover walking on the algae near the water…
The Snowy Plover resting. It did this 95% of the time I was there…
I have tried to capture some of the recent beauty of some late spring and summer blooming native wildflowers. Wildflower images have been taken in the yard here in Waukesha County. It has been an amazing year so far for wildflower blooms with the on going moisture and warm temperatures.
Fire Pink, Silene virginica
Spiderwort, Tradescantia ohiensis
Spiderwort, Tradescantia ohiensis, white found in the wild…
Smooth Phlox, Phlox glaberrima interior
Showy Milkweed, Asclepias speciosa
Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta
Spider Milkweed, Asclepias viridis
Red Bee Balm, Monarda didyma
Wild Bergamot, Monarda fistulosa
Tall Bellflower, Campanula americana
Rosin Weed, Silphium intergrifolium
Prairie Cinquefoil, Potentilla arguta
Royal Catchfly, Silene regia
While out birding on some back roads in Sawyer County I came across a Great Blue Heron. It was standing on a log preening when I went by. A beautiful morning out with temps in the upper 50’s to start and sunny skies. Images were taken on July 2, 2021
Great Blue Heron perched on a log…
Those beautiful feathers…
Dagger type bill…
A recent trip to Marquette always nice to see the Red-headed Woodpeckers. A nice number of the woodpeckers were seen today about the woodland. Beautiful day, with temps around 72 and mostly sunny skies. Images were taken on June 22, 2021.
The Red-headed Woodpecker showing its best…
A stop at Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha provided nice views of male Bobolinks. I only saw females a couple of times going to nests on the ground I would think. I stayed at a distance not to disturb the areas where they are possibly nesting. It did not appear they were feeding young as of yet. It was a warm muggy morning to start with temps in the 70’s. Images were taken on June 7, 2021.
Bobolink, male calling…
In some of the habitat they are found in…
Coming in to land on an old wildflower stalk…
In some of its habitat these birds hang out in of old wildflowers and grass canes, hanging on with the wind blowing…
Just perched pretty…
What they do…
One of my birding stops today along the Milwaukee lakefront was McKinley Beach. Present were 3 Dunlins, 6 Semipalmated Sandpipers and 1 Semipalmated Plover. They put on a nice show eating things they like on the algae mat that has formed there. They also found food at the waters edge at the beach. While I was there they suddenly all got up at the same time and flew north. I believe there was a predator in the area. It was a beautiful morning with low winds, 70 degrees and mostly cloudy. Images were taken on June 4, 2021.
The Dunlin giving nice looks…
The Dunlin walking in the water finding things to eat…
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper with food in the bill…
Semipalmated Plover
The Dunlin preening…
The Dunlin shaking off…
The Dunlin fluffed up some…
Semipalmated Sandpiper with something in the bill…
Walking across the algae mat…
The Black-throated Gray warbler, a very rare visitor to the state was found at Lake Park this morning. This female put on a great show eating gnats along the Locust Street ravine. This warbler stayed hidden out of sight for a while at times. Credit goes to Nathaniel W for finding this great warbler and getting the word out for others to see it. A cloudy cold day on the lakefront with winds out of the NE. Images were taken on May 19, 2021.
The Black-throated Gray Warbler…
Here going for a gnat…
Looking around for something to eat…there were plenty of gnats…
Moving about the thick brush high and low to the ground…
Perched pretty…
This is a great bird for the area, more of a southern species, but they are seen in the state every year it seems. I made the run over to Lincoln Park after the word got out about the Snowy Egret. I heard Tom Wood was the finder of this visiting bird and got the word out for others to come see it, thank you Tom! The park has many sandbars on the Milwaukee River and is a big open area. The Snowy Egret never was close but I took a few distant shots to share. The bird did some feeding on the river and moved around a little, gave a nice show from a distance. It starting preening on a log and looked like not much was going to be going on for awhile and I left. Hope it hangs around for others to see it. It was a nice sunny morning, with temps around 60 degrees. Images were taken on May 17, 2021.
The Snowy Egret at a distance, looking for something to eat…
In search of something to eat…
Doing some preening…
Some photos of our feather friends in Marquette County on May 15, 2021.
Eastern Towhee, male
Red-headed Woodpecker
Northern Cardinal, male
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, male
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, female
Blue Jay
Indigo Bunting, male
Baltimore Oriole, female
Red-headed Woodpecker
Northern Cardinal, male
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
A stop at Grant Park in Milwaukee County produced 10 Short-billed Dowitchers. Nice to see these beautiful shorebirds fairly close up as usually they are seen at a distance. When I arrived they appeared to be resting with most eyes closed. After about 20 minutes some of them started to do some feeding. It was a beautiful day with sunny skies and mild temps. Images were taken on May 13, 2021.
The long bill on a Short-billed Dowitcher, feeding here…
Some of the 10 Short-billed Dowitchers…
They were actively feeding…
These birds sorta resemble a sewing machine when feeding with their bills going in and out of the water…
Hitting a few beaches along the Milwaukee lakefront produced one Sanderling at South Shore Park. The bird was looking beautiful going into its breeding plumage. The bird fed up and down the beach shoreline and sometimes being flushed by walkers which use this beach. It was a cold day out with good winds coming off the lake at 40 degree temps, I did not see the sun till later in the day. Images were taken on May 10, 2021.
The Sanderling flying out over the water and then back to the beach as walkers came by…
Waiting for something to eat…
Getting something…
Something small in the bill to eat…
Looking for something to eat here…
Something in the bill…they eat sand crabs, amphipods, isopods, insects, marine worms, small mollusks…
Moving up onto the shore after a wave came in and goes back out…
More food in the bill…they like to watch for food in the sand after a wave comes in…
And more food…
Driving along a road in Waukesha County I spotted a Great Horned Owl off in a distance perched in a tree. I stopped and took a couple of shots from the drivers seat. I’m assuming another adult or owlets were nearby as the owl was looking at a couple of locations nearby on and off. I did not hang around, and continued on my trip. It was a pleasant morning out with temps starting at 40 degrees checking out a few warbler locations in the area. Warblers were around but not in high numbers. Images were taken on May 9, 2021.
The Great Horned Owl…
Looking over to another area were a possible owlet might be…
The other location the Great Horned Owl starred when I was there…
Always nice to see the return of Red-headed Woodpeckers in Marquette County. 4 of this species have made a late return this year, hopefully more will follow. Beautiful day, with temps around 60 and mostly sunny skies. Images were taken on May 8, 2021.
The Red-headed Woodpecker…
While out birding I came across a stunning male Baltimore Oriole at Whitnall Park in Milwaukee County. With the trees blooming it made for a nice photo. It was a partly cloudy day with mild temps and low winds. Image was taken on May 3, 2021
I checked the Milwaukee lakefront beaches early morning and they were empty. I decided to look for a few warblers at Lake Park, it was pretty birdie but after awhile thought I would check out a few other places. I decided to check the beach at Lakeshore State Park once more before leaving the lakefront. I’m glad I did as there was one lone American Avocet. It was not real active, I think just taking a break from maybe a long flight. While viewing the Avocet a Hudsonian Godwit made a very brief appearance. It was on the beach for maybe 15-30 seconds and off it went. It landed on the opposite end of the beach from where I was, another birder captured a photo for an ID. It was a beautiful morning with mostly sunny skies, low winds and temps in the 60’s to start. Images were taken on May 2, 2021.
The American Avocet…
American Avocet in flight…pedestrians on the beach not knowingly flushed the bird on a few occasions but it usually returned to the beach area…
Here getting something to eat maybe…
So beautiful!
At takeoff…
That bill…
Word was out that American Avocets were in Racine. I made the run down there and they were, along with cool Willets. They were at North Beach on Lake Michigan. Probably my favorite bird and bird to photograph as they are so beautiful! Birders are very lucky if they get to lay their eyes on this species once every spring. They put on a nice show just standing around, feeding and taking a couple of times to the sky. These birds are known as one day wonders, typically seen one day and not the next. It was another cool morning with wins out of the northeast, temps in the mid 40’s and overcast. Images were taken on April 28, 2021.
The American Avocets…
They typically face into the wind, being ready for takeoff…I think I counted 26 birds!
Coming in for a landing…
American Avocets and Willets in flight…
Willets at waters edge…some were feeding…
American Avocet…
American Avocets at waters edge…
Willet…
Willet getting something to eat…
Waiting for something to eat…
A stop at Lake Park gave distant views of a Hooded Warbler. While walking across the foot bridge just south of the statue I spotted directly below a Hooded Warbler. From there it moved and rested for a period of time, on a fallen log laying in the ravine. It must of had a long journey as it rested for close to 30 minutes with it’s eyes closed most of the time. I took a shot from a distance and that was it. Other warbler species I saw at the park were Yellow-rumped and Palm. It was a cold morning on the lakefront with good wins from the north. I was dress for March weather. Image was taken on April 27, 2021.
The Hooded Warbler resting on a fallen tree log…
