Bitterns, Herons, and Allies Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Window to Wildlife

Great Egrets and more at the Horicon Marsh in Dodge County Wisconsin on August 5, 2016

I went up to Horicon Marsh early this morning to see what was going on. Lots of Great Egrets as what has been reported there. Some of the other birds seen to note, Black-necked Stilts, Dowitchers, Black-crowned Night Herons, Sora, Great Blue Herons, Black Terns and a American Bittern, a long awaited life bird for me. I did not get a shot of this bird as it flew in front of me as I was just pulling up on the shoulder on Hwy 49. As I talked with a couple of birders on the Hwy moments later, they too had seen the American Bittern. Lots of juvenile birds seen today, too many to list. It was a beautiful day at the marsh with a cool breeze and mostly sun. Most images are of the Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons, some of the other birds were in the harsh sunlight to the south of Hwy 49, no images taken. Images were taken on August 5, 2016

Great Egrets

Sora

Sora

Sora

Sora

Sora

Black-necked Stilt

Pied-billed Grebe, juvenile

Pied-billed Grebe, juvenile just resting

American Coot, juvenile

Great Egrets

Great Egret with the catch

Great Egret, the catch!

Great Egret, with the catch

Great Egret, the gulp!

Great Egret fishing

Great Egret with the catch

Great Egret, a little preening going on

Great Egret

Great Egret a miss!

Great Egret fishing

Great Egret just looking around

Great Egret in the tree

Great Blue Heron, juvenile

Great Blue Heron, juvenile, not sure what this is all about when it shakes it’s head as if it has a bee in the month which I don’t think is what is going on

Great Blue Heron, juvenile

Little Blue Heron at Lake Maria in Green Lake County Wisconsin on May 20, 2016

By admin | May 20, 2016 - 6:54 pm |May 21, 2016 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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I was birding in the Kettle Moraine South in Waukesha County this morning when the birding wheels stopped. I saw the note on the Little Blue Heron at Lake Maria in Green Lake County. I looked at distance to Lake Maria and thought why not. The normal range for this visiting bird is more the southern US. Upon arriving at the boat landing at Maria Lake, it only took me a minute to see the Little Blue Heron a long ways down the shore to the north. It was hard to see in the grasses, but I knew that the bluish bird could only be the Little Blue Heron. It continued north until it was surrounded by 4 Canada Geese and then 2 adult Sandhill Cranes later did not seem to happy to have it around either. The Canada Geese appeared to threaten it, but all backed off right away and left that area. It looked like Canada Geese nests were everywhere but empty and the Sandhill Cranes appeared to be tending to little ones behind the tall grasses. The bird moved back a little to the south in and out of the grasses. Perched once off shore for about 45 minutes. I could not see it perched but figured, it was doing that and did not see it fly away. It went back towards shore and I saw some blue go up into a tree, figured it was once again going to perch. After about 30 minutes, it flew out of the woods, made a 90 degree turn to the south and flew right in front of the boat landing. That was the last I saw of the bird. I hung around for about 20 minutes. A few other birders came and went but it was quiet there. The Little Blue Heron was found this morning by Jeff B and Wendy S got the word out for others to see. A big thank you to them and what a fun time it was! I hope it hangs around for awhile for others to see. Some of these images are distant but felt they were part of the story. Images were taken on May 20, 2016.

Little Blue Heron

Binomial name: Egretta caerulea

Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Size: 24” long, 40” wing span

Weight: 12 oz

Looking for food

Looking for food

The Little Blue Heron is far down the shore to the north

Looking for food but the Sandhill Cranes are watching too

Canada Geese are moving in, the Little Blue Heron moves out

Time to move to a new spot

Canada Geese have surrounded the Little Blue Heron

Canada Goose makes a statement and the Little Blue Heron does not move

The Canada Geese move out of the area, the Little Blue Heron (in the middle of image) stays put for the short term

Time to move to a different area again, moving slowly to the south along the shore

Looking for food once again

Looking for food, but here comes another Canada Goose, off the Little Blue Heron goes!

Lets try this place for looking for some food

Under a tree limb the Little Blue Heron is looking for food

Little Blue Heron looking for food

Little Blue Heron looking for food but on its way to perch

Off the perch it goes and heading to the south off shore near the boat landing

Heading south

And still heading south as it passes by me…….

Great Blue Herons with young in Southern Wisconsin on May 19, 2016

By admin | May 19, 2016 - 8:17 pm |May 19, 2016 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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I checked out a Great Blue Heron rookery in southern Wisconsin today to see what was going on. Lots of young and getting to have some size to them too. Some adults came with sticks for ongoing nest maintenance. Other adults came to the nest and regurgitated food in to the nest for the young to eat. Always amazing when I sit back and watch all these things happen. A beautiful sunny day with low winds and mild temps. Images were taken on May 19, 2016.

Great Blue Heron

Binomial name: Ardea herodias

Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Size: 46” long, 72” wing span

Weight: 5.3 lb

The nest has on going maintenance

Adult preening, with young

Warblers and a Green Heron at Whitnall Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on May 5, 2016

By admin | May 5, 2016 - 7:32 pm |May 28, 2018 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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I stopped at Whitnall Park for a routine birding stop to see if there was any warbler action. There was one period mid-morning where there was some good warbler action, but it did not last long. Some Black-throated Green Warblers, 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler, 1 Blackburnian Warbler were the warbler highlights. Some of the other warbler species present were Yellow-rumped, Palm, Black and White and Yellow. A Green Heron, FOY, gave a very brief appearance. It was a pleasant day with low winds, mild temps and sunny skies. Just a few images to share taken on May 5, 2016.

Green Heron

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Great Blue Heron at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on April 23, 2016

By admin | April 23, 2016 - 8:06 pm |April 24, 2016 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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I birded some of the lakefront in Milwaukee this morning and for the most part, very quiet. One Caspian Tern at McKinley Marina and 500 + Bonaparte’s Gulls at Grant Park were the highlights that I could find along the lake. The lakefront was very cold with a stiff north wind, a few times the sun felt great. Stopped at Whitnall and just a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers were present, along with typical birds we see and birds that have been reported recently. I crossed paths with Bruce and we headed up to Greenfield Park for a last stop. There was a Great Blue Heron, a 1st year, a bird born last summer, putting on a great show, catching fish, preening and do what Great Blue Herons do. It was nice to wind down the morning with a little excitement with the heron. Images were taken on April 23, 2016.

The catch, with a Bullhead

Great Blue Heron

Binomial name: Ardea herodias

Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Size: 46” long, 72” wing span

Weight: 5.3 lb

Fish in neck

Fish still in neck

Fish going down with a look

Preening, grooming and caring for the feathers

Preening

Great Blue Heron with a Flathead Minnow

Stretching

Double catch! Great Blue Heron with Flathead Minnows

Great Blue Heron with a Flathead Minnow

Fishing

Great Blue Heron with a Flathead Minnow

Great Blue Heron with a Flathead Minnow

Great Blue Heron with a Flathead Minnow

The amazing feathers!

Great Blue Heron with a Bullhead

Great Blue Herons at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on April 1, 2016

By admin | April 1, 2016 - 6:22 pm |April 2, 2016 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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I took a run over to Greenfield Park mid-afternoon do a short birding run. Great Blue Herons have returned, one seemed to want to nap while another one, a heron in full breeding plumage went hunting for some food and did some moving around too. From what I had heard, they have been back a couple of days now, how exciting. Another species I saw were 2 Pied-billed Grebes near the island. Nothing else but recent reported species. Hopefully this year they will raise another nice family there. It was mostly cloudy but the sun did shine for a couple of minutes while I was there. Images were taken on April 1, 2016.

Great Blue Heron

Binomial name: Ardea herodias

Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Size: 46” long, 72” wing span

Weight: 5.3 lb

Hanging out at the island

The drink

Hunting

Looks like a 1st year bird, a bird born last year just resting off the beaten trail

Great Egrets and American White Pelicans at Horicon Marsh on September 4, 2015

By admin | September 4, 2015 - 10:23 pm |September 5, 2015 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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I made a trip up to Horicon Marsh in Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties in Wisconsin today. Overall quiet, but a few of the bigger species made themselves known. Great Egrets, American White Pelicans and Green Herons were some of the highlights. A tree laying in the water with 9 Wood Ducks on it looked impressive but the photo just does not do it justice. Some common shorebirds were present but located father from Hwy 49 when I was there. It was an overcast day and light fog early on and the light cloud cover remained the time I was there till late morning, temps were warm. Images were taken on September 4, 2015.

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret hunting!

Great Egret

Great Egret

American White Pelican

American White Pelican at takeoff!

American White Pelican

9 Wood Ducks preening and resting! Red eyes are the males.

Green Heron with a frog!

Green Heron hunting!

Green Heron with a small fish

Green Heron with a leech!

Green Heron eats an American Bullfrog at Greenfield Park in West Allis Wisconsin on September 2, 2015

By admin | September 2, 2015 - 2:21 pm |September 2, 2015 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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While doing some birding at Greenfield Park in West Allis this morning I came across a Green Heron catching and eating an American Bullfrog. The bullfrog struggled to get away, and the 1st summer Green Heron struggled to kill it. Finally after a few minutes the Green Heron got control of it and down it went in one piece. Poor Bullfrog! Some of the other bird species present were families of Northern Flicker, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher and Green Heron. Also present, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwings, Wood Ducks, Pied-billed Grebes and some of the more common birds. Overall a quiet morning but nice to get out with other birders and photographers before the heat really set in. Mostly sunny with morning temps in the low 80’s with a light breeze at times. This action took place on one of the bigger islands there at the park. Images were taken on September 2, 2015.

The bullfrog is fighting to get away, kicking etc

The bullfrog is still trying to get away by kicking, etc

The bullfrog is still struggling and the heron just continually pinches the bullfrog

The bullfrog is tiring

Starting the process of swallowing the frog head first, I’m sure the adults showed them just how to do this at one time!

Gulp, poor frog!

Birding at Greenfield Park in West Allis Wisconsin on August 28, 2015

By admin | August 28, 2015 - 9:07 pm |August 29, 2015 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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Birding at Greenfield Park this morning provided some nice looks at birds in action. Some of the highlights were species Black-crowned Night Heron, Green Heron, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Crested Flycatcher and Wood Ducks. An adult Green Heron set out insects for bait on the water that brought in a few prizes. It was a fun morning doing some photography with Bruce and Lee. It was an overcast day. It started to drizzle when I left early afternoon. Images were taken on August 28, 2015 in West Allis, Milwaukee County Wisconsin.

Green Heron, adult going for the fish

Green Heron, adult going for the fish

Green Heron, adult gets the fish

Green Heron, adult with fish

Green Heron, setting out a bee for fishing bait

Green Heron, setting out a bee for fishing bait

Green Heron, going for the fish

Green Heron, with the fish

Green Heron with the fish

Pied-billed Grebe, juvenile

Pied-billed Grebe, adult

Pied-billed Grebe, juvenile stretching

Pied-billed Grebe, adult shaking off!

Pied-billed Grebe, shaking off!

Pied-billed Grebe, the yawn!

Pied-billed Grebe, adult

Pied-billed Grebe, juvenile preening

Pied-billed Grebe, juvenile stretching

Pied-bill Grebe juvenile eating a crayfish

Pied-billed Grebe juv. eating a crayfish

Pied-billed Grebe juvenile eating a crayfish

Pied-billed Grebe juvenile

Pied-billed Grebe adult

Green Heron juvenile

Green Heron juvenile preening

Green Heron juvenile shaking off!

Great Crested Flycatcher

Black-crowned Night Heron, adult

Black-crowned Night Heron, adult stretching

Wood Ducks, adult female with young

Green Heron at takeoff

Green Herons at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin August 6, 2014

By admin | August 8, 2014 - 6:56 am |October 13, 2014 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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A pair of juvenile Green Herons were present at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin this morning. They worked the shoreline there hunting for food, stretching and resting too. Some of the items they caught were small fish and the Common Blue Damselfly. Also present at the beach area there were 4 Juvenile Caspian Terns. Images were taken on August 6, 2014.

Juvenile Green Heron with a Common Blue Damselfly.

Green Heron

Binomial name: Buborides virescens

Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Size: 18” long, 26” wing span

Weight: 7 Oz.

Habitat: Breed in areas of woods or areas with thick vegetation near ponds, marshes, rivers, streams, reservoirs and estuaries. They stay at coastal areas and mangrove swamps in the winter months.

Diet: Green Herons consume fish as their main diet, but also eat amphibians, insects, crustaceans, snails, reptiles and rodents. They catch their food standing still at pond, lake, swamp, creek, marsh, or river edges then darting out with their head snapping up its prey. They also spear their prey with their sharp bill. They usually hunt in waters of less than 4” deep. Deeper waters are usually visited by larger heron species with longer legs.

Nesting: Start of the construction of the nest is done by the male. After a pair is formed the female helps in the nest building. The nest is usually 8-12” across with a bowl of about 2” deep with no lining. The nest is usually located over water at ground level to 30’ or more above the water, but can also be located up to distances of a half mile away from water. They also are known to fix up old nests and during the breeding season they continue to add sticks to their nests as necessary.

Cool fact: Green Herons are known to use bait like insects to bait their prey.

Juvenile Green Heron with a Common Blue Damselfly.

Juvenile Green Heron hunting.

Juvenile Green Heron with a fish.

Juvenile Green Heron with gull overhead!

Juvenile Green Heron patiently waiting for food.

Juvenile Green Heron has it’s eye on something.

Juvenile Green Heron with the catch!

Juvenile Green Heron, the reflection.

Juvenile Green Heron hunting.

Juvenile Green Heron with a Common Blue Damselfly in sight.

Juvenile Green Heron with a Common Blue Damselfly, got it!

Juvenile Green Heron just taking a break.

Juvenile Green Heron just taking a break.

Juvenile Green Heron, getting back to hunting.

Juvenile Green Heron stretching.

Juvenile Green Heron

Juvenile Caspian Tern

Juvenile Caspian Tern coming in for a landing.

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin July 10, 2014

By admin | July 10, 2014 - 5:03 pm |July 11, 2014 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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Yellow-crowned Night-Heron fishing, feeding and resting at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Photographs were taken on July 10, 2014. It has been a real treat to view and photograph this rare visitor whose normal range is the southeastern US.

Resting

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Binomial name: Nyctanassa violacea

Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Size: 24” long, 42” wing span

Weight: 1.5 Lb.

Fishing

Fishing and hears something its left side.

Catching the crayfish!

Killing the crayfish

And down it goes!

Fishing with the reflection of a Ring-billed Gull in the water.

Resting

Fishing

Killing the crayfish after another catch!

Killing the crayfish

Fishing

Back view

Fishing

Hunting

Green Heron at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin July 9, 2014

By admin | July 9, 2014 - 7:17 pm |October 13, 2014 Bird Categories, Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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Green Heron fishing, feeding and resting at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Photographs were taken on July 9, 2014.

Capture of the crayfish.

Green Heron

Binomial name: Buborides virescens

Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Size: 18” long, 26” wing span

Weight: 7 Oz.

Cool fact: Green Herons are known to use bait like insects to bait their prey. In some images below a Green Heron used a fly to try to attract a small fish to eat. It repeated this a couple of times as I stood there but was unsuccessful that time in getting it’s fishing trick to work that attracts fish or other prey, to then snatch up.

Killing the crayfish.

Killing the crayfish.

Killing the crayfish.

Just before the swallow!

Fishing and waiting.

The catch!

Fishing

Going for a fly to be used to bait a minnow.

Catching the fly!

Setting the fly in the water to attract a minnow.

Changes plan and takes the fly to a new location to be used to bait a minnow.

Takes off to a new location.

Catches a crayfish after hunting for a while.

Catches a crayfish after fishing.

Killing the crayfish.

Swallows the crayfish without notice!

Going down!

In the process!

Fishing

Resting

Fishing

Beautiful back view of feathers and colors!

Fishing

Resting

Fishing

The catch!

Killing the crayfish

Resting after swallowing the crayfish!

Snowy Egret at Fort Atkinson in Jefferson County Wisconsin May 29, 2014

By admin | May 29, 2014 - 8:03 pm |June 20, 2014 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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The ride paid off for the report of the Snowy Egret at Fort Atkinson in Jefferson County. It was still present when I arrived at 3:25 pm far off the road in a flooded field. This location is just east of the city on Hwy 106, south side of the highway. A life bird for me which made it exciting. Images were taken on May 29, 2014.

Great Egret – left, Snowy Egret, right

Snowy Egret

Binomial name: Egretta thula

Category: Bittern, Herons, and Allies

Size: 24” long, 41” wing span

Weight: 13 oz.

Habitat: Typically they are found on most coasts of the US and Mexico but sometimes can be found breeding inland in wetland areas, mudflats and beaches. They forage in both freshwater and marine habitats preferring shallow sheltered estuarine areas. The breeding range is from the lower Great Lakes and southwestern US to South America.

Diet: Fish, crustacean, insects and smaller reptiles.

Nesting: They nest in colonies, usually with other wading birds. They like platform type nests made of sticks in trees or shrubs. The nests are flat 14”-18” across, 8”-13” high, lined with rushes, grasses, sedges and twigs. 3-4 eggs are incubated by both adults before the young leave the nest which is 20-25 days.

Snowy Egret

2 Great Egrets – left, Snowy Egret – right

Great Egret – right, Snowy Egret – left

Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret, down under!

Snowy Egret – left, Great Egret – right

Snowy Egret

Green Heron

By admin | November 15, 2013 - 4:40 pm |February 26, 2014 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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An adult Green Heron at Wehr Nature Center in Greenfield WI. Juvenile Green Herons at Veterans Park Lagoon Milwaukee WI . Photographs were taken in 2011.

Horicon Marsh, WI August 13, 2013

By admin | August 13, 2013 - 3:01 pm |August 15, 2013 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies, Rails, Gallinules, and Coots, Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

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Photographs from Horicon Marsh, Fond du lac/Dodge County, Wisconsin taken August 13, 2013.

Marbled Godwit

Common Moorhen with young

3 – Red-necked Phalaropes (background)

Spotted Sandpiper

Juvenile Stilt Sandpiper

Great Egret

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Horicon Marsh, WI August 7, 2013

By admin | August 7, 2013 - 5:42 pm |August 7, 2013 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies, Pelicans, Stilts and Avocets

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Photographs from Horicon Marsh, Fond du lac/Dodge County, Wisconsin taken August 7, 2013.

Black-necked Stilts

Juvenile American White Pelicans

Great Egret

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Horicon Marsh, WI July 29, 2013

By admin | July 29, 2013 - 6:10 pm |August 7, 2013 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers, Pelicans, Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

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Photographs from Horicon Marsh, Fond du lac/Dodge County, Wisconsin taken July 29, 2013.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Baby Common Moorhen

Juvenile American White Pelicans

Juvenile American White Pelican

Juvenile Black Tern

Great Egret

To view the full gallery of images, please click here.

Cattle Egret

By admin | July 23, 2013 - 4:32 pm |August 7, 2013 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies, Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

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The Cattle Egret is one of my nemesis birds this year. After many miles of driving through areas where Cattle Egrets had been reported, this was my first real chance to photograph one. This time it did not disappoint me. I saw not one bird, but two. They were in a double pasture with cows just northeast of Horicon Marsh on Stumpf Road in Fond du lac County, Wisconsin.

I’ve also included images of some Wilson’s Phalaropes (Phalaropus tricolor) from Horicon Marsh.

Photographs taken July 23, 2013.

Cattle Egret

Binomial name: Bubulcus ibis

Category: Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

Description: White plumage with cream-colored feathers on its chest, head, and tail during breeding season. Yellow bill and gray legs.

Size: 18”-22” long, 35” – 38” wingspan

Weight: 9.5 oz. – 18 oz.

Habitat: Pastures, grasslands, meadows, and wetlands

Diet: Insects (grasshoppers and crickets), spiders, amphibians, and worms

Nesting: Cattle Egrets nest in colonies, typically near a body of water. Both males and females build the nest; males collect twigs and sticks while the female assembles them into jumbled pile in a tree or shrub. It is common for these birds to steal nest materials from others. The female will lay 1 to 5 eggs and raise 1 brood each season. Both parents incubate the eggs. Chicks are born with down feathers but are still helpless. The fledglings leave the nest after about 45 days.

Notes: Cattle Egrets are appropriately named as they tend to forage for food near cattle or other large, grazing animals. They eat insects and other vertebrates spread by these animals. The birds have also been known to forage behind farm machinery. Farmers may welcome these birds to their pastures as Cattle Egrets will help control fly and tick populations among cattle.