admin, Author at Window to Wildlife - Photography by Jim Edlhuber

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Window to Wildlife features the photography of Jim Edlhuber. A lifelong native of Wisconsin, Jim has been photographing wildlife for 20 years. He considers himself an avid photographer and is always trying to capture nature and wildlife through his lens. He is in several photography clubs and has won numerous awards for his work. In recent years, Jim has focused mostly on birding photography and finds it to be the most challenging.

Piping Plover

By admin | June 15, 2013 - 7:30 pm |January 19, 2014 Lapwings and Plovers

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Piping Plovers at North Beach, Racine Wisconsin. Photographs taken on April 30, 2013

Inca Dove

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An Inca Dove was found at Concordia University in Mequon Wisconsin. This bird was actually found by a instructor of ornithology at the campus taking one of his classes out for a morning bird walk. This bird hung around for awhile and was viewed by many birders state wide as being so rare for the state. The normal range for this bird is Texas, southern New Mexico and Arizona and Mexico. Images were taken on November 1, 2011.

Inca Dove

Binomial name: Columbina inca

Category: Pigeons and Doves

Size: 8.25” long, 11” wing span

Weight: 1.6 oz

Dickcissel

By admin | June 15, 2013 - 8:26 am |January 23, 2015 Bird Categories, Cardinals

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At least a couple of nesting pairs of Dickcissels were present in the Scuppernong Prairie area in Waukesha County Wisconsin. When I was there I watched adults bringing food to the young in the nests. The nests were in short growing brush vegetation in the open prairies. Images were taken on August 6, 2011.

Dickcissel

Binomial name: Spiza americana

Category: Cardinals, Piranga Tanagers and Allies

Size: 6.25” long, 9.75” wing span

Weight: 0.95 oz

Dickcissel, male left – Dickcissel, female right

Dickcissel flying into the nest with food (in middle of image)

Northern Mockingbird at Lake Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on May 15, 2013

By admin | June 15, 2013 - 8:24 am |January 23, 2015 Bird Categories

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While enjoying the spring warbler migration at Lake Park a Northern Mockingbird had been spotted on the golf course. Images were taken on May 15, 2013.

Northern Mockingbird

Binomial name: Mimus polglottos

Category: Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Size: 10” long, 14” wing span

Weight: 1.7 oz

Lark Sparrow

By admin | June 15, 2013 - 8:23 am |January 21, 2015 Bird Categories, Emberizids

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A Lark Sparrow was found by a local birder on the oval running track at Lake Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin. It is a place I check often now as birds obviously stop at this location. The Lark Sparrow not common at all here is found on rare occasions during spring migration. This bird appeared to be feeding on weed seed on the track. This was a life bird for many birders that day that were present. If my memory is correct, Paul Sparks found this bird. Images were taken on April 27, 2013.

Lark Sparrow

Binomial name: Chondestes grammacus

Category: Emberizids

Size: 6.5″ long, 11” wingspan

Weight: 1 oz

Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow

By admin | June 15, 2013 - 8:22 am |January 21, 2015 Bird Categories, Emberizids

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This Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow was found by local birders during spring migration at Lake Park. The exact location of this bird was at the east end of the “Magic Hedge”. The Magic Hedge is a line of deciduous trees running perpendicular with Lake Michigan just south of the Milwaukee Water Filtration Plant. It hung around for most of the day and was a life bird for many. Images were taken on May 18, 2013.

Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow

Binomial name: Ammodramus nelsoni

Category: Sparrows

Size: 5″ long, 7” wingspan

Weight: 0.6 oz

Prairie Warbler

By admin | June 15, 2013 - 8:20 am |January 21, 2015 Bird Categories, Wood-Warblers

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The uncommon sightings of Prairie Warblers here in Wisconsin. The location of one was found as has been reported in the South Kettle Moraine State Forest in Waukesha County on July 10, 2010. The other Prairie Warbler was only viewed by me as I birded Lake Park on September 5, 2010.

Prairie Warbler in the South Kettle Moraine State Forest in Waukesha County on July 10, 2010

Prairie Warbler

Binomial name: Dendroica discolor

Category: Warblers

Size: 4.75″ long, 7” wingspan

Weight: .27 oz

Prairie Warbler in the South Kettle Moraine State Forest in Waukesha County on July 10, 2010

Prairie Warbler at Lake Park in Milwaukee on September 5, 2010

Yellow-breasted Chat

By admin | June 15, 2013 - 8:20 am |January 21, 2015 Bird Categories, Wood-Warblers

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The report of Yellow-breasted Chats in the South Kettle Moraine in Waukesha County drew my attention both times. Not a common bird for this area, some years there are reports, others not. I headed out and with some other birders at the reported location reported off of Wilton Road, the bird was found in minutes, this date was May 16, 2012. The other Yellow-breasted Chat was reported off of Hwy 59. That location I birded for about 15 minutes before I locating the bird by its call, this date was May 30, 2013.

Yellow-breasted Chat off Highway 59 in Waukesha County May 30, 2013

Yellow-breasted Chat

Binomial name: Icteria virens

Category: Wood-Warblers

Size: 7.5″ long, 9.75” wingspan

Weight: 0.88 oz

Yellow-breasted Chat off Highway 59 in Waukesha County May 30, 2013

Yellow-breasted Chat off Wilton Road in Waukesha County May 16, 2012

Horned Lark

By admin | June 15, 2013 - 8:13 am |February 1, 2014 Larks

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Horned Lark Waukesha County WI. Photographs taken on January 18, 2012

Willet at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Wisconsin on May 1, 2012

By admin | June 14, 2013 - 7:59 pm |February 11, 2015 Bird Categories, Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

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A flock of 37 American Avocets had spent the day at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Wisconsin on May 1, 2012. Within the flock was one lone Willet that just mixed right in with the Avocets as they feed and rested for the day.

Willet

Binomial name: Tringa semipalmata

Category: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

Size: 15” long, 26” wing span

Weight: 8 oz

Lesser Yellowlegs

By admin | June 14, 2013 - 7:57 pm |January 19, 2014 Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

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Lesser Yellowlegs at Horicon Marsh and Hustisford Wisconsin. Photographs taken May 12, 2012

Grey Fox

By admin | June 12, 2013 - 3:52 pm |November 10, 2014 Animals

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Grey Fox Lakeshore State Park and Grey Fox kits Sawyer County WI. Photographs taken in 2010 and 2011.

Bonaparte’s Gull

By admin | June 10, 2013 - 5:52 pm |January 21, 2014 Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

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Bonaparte’s Gull photographed at South Metro, Oak Creek WI. on November 8, 2010 and at North Point in Sheboygan WI. June 17, 2013.

Bonaparte Gulls with a couple of Ring-billed Gulls

Bonaparte Gulls with a couple of Herring Gulls

Ring-billed Gull – hatch year at Bradford Beach on the Milwaukee Wisconsin lakefront December 3, 2014

By admin | June 9, 2013 - 4:37 pm |December 5, 2014 Bird Categories, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

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Doing some birding on the lakefront in Milwaukee today I came across a gull just a little smaller than the rest. A hatch year Ring-billed Gull along with it some adult Ring-billed Gulls and Herring Gulls too. Some images from today at the beach. Images were taken on December 3, 2014.

Ring-billed Gull – hatch year

Binomial name: Larus delawarensis

Category: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Size: 17.5” long, 48” wing span

Weight: 1.1 lb

Ring-billed Gull, left hatch year - Ring-billed, adult right

Ring-billed Gull, left hatch year – Ring-billed, adult middle

Ring-billed Gull, left hatch year – Ring-billed, adult right

Golden-crowned Kinglet at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on October 10, 2010

By admin | June 8, 2013 - 8:33 am |February 5, 2015 Bird Categories, Kinglets

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Golden-crowned Kinglet

Binomial name: Regulus satrapa

Category: Kinglets

Size: 4” long, 7” wing span

Weight: 0.21 oz

Lapland Longspur at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on October 12, 2010

By admin | June 8, 2013 - 8:32 am |February 5, 2015 Bird Categories, Longspurs and Snow Buntings

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Lapland Longspur, female

Lapland Longspur

Binomial name: Calcarius lapponicus

Category: Longspurs and Snow Buntings

Size: 6.25” long, 11.5” wing span

Weight: 0.95 oz

Rusty Blackbird at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on October 10, 2010

By admin | June 8, 2013 - 8:31 am |February 5, 2015 Bird Categories, Blackbirds

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Rusty Blackbird, female

Rusty Blackbird

Binomial name: Euphagus carolinus

Category: Blackbirds

Size: 9” long, 14” wing span

Weight: 2.1 oz

Cinnamon Teal at the Vernon Marsh in Waukesha County Wisconsin on May 2, 2012

By admin | June 6, 2013 - 5:58 pm |March 17, 2017 Bird Categories, Ducks, Geese, and Swans

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(FYI, An old bird sighting I added to my blog since a Cinnamon Teal has been in the birding news) On a birding run this morning I was rewarded with a Cinnamon Teal, male. It was on the southwest corner of the figure 8 ponds on the western side of the marsh. A very rare bird for the state as the normal range for this bird are western states. The bird moved in and out of cattails sometimes following Blue-winged Teals and was not seen often. I was fortunate enough to get some distant shots. A birder had reported this bird earlier. Images were taken May 5, 2012.

Cinnamon Teal, male following Blue-winged Teals, male front, female in the middle

Cinnamon Teal

Binomial name: Anas cyanoptera

Category: Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Size: 16” long, 22” wing span

Weight: 14 oz

Cinnamon Teal, male following Blue-winged Teal, female

Cinnamon Teal, male

Cinnamon Teal, male following Blue-winged Teal, male

Great Blue Herons nesting and raising young near Pewaukee in Waukesha County Wisconsin in March of 2009

By admin | May 1, 2013 - 6:51 pm |December 16, 2015 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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I discovered a roost in Pewaukee Wisconsin back in 2009. I followed it for a couple months. During that time I watch some of the nest building, adults sitting on eggs and feeding the young. I found out adults bring sticks and branches to the nest as maintenance continues on the nest until the young leave the nest. Food was being bought in from nearby lakes and steams as I watched the adult herons come with food from all directions to the roost area. In that spring I counted 34 nests in this rookery, 18 active. A couple of years later I returned to the area and it had changed drastically. Many of the trees had fallen and the area was no longer being used by the Great Blue Herons.