Bird Categories Archives - Page 42 of 43 - Window to Wildlife

Purple Sandpiper

By admin | June 21, 2013 - 8:12 pm |January 19, 2014 Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

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Purple Sandpipers at Wind Point, Racine WI. Photographs taken on December 13, 2012

Purple Sandpipers, Wind Point Racine, December 13, 2012

Purple Sandpiper, Wind Point Racine, December 13, 2012

Barred Owl

By admin | June 21, 2013 - 6:51 pm |January 19, 2014 Typical Owls

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Barred Owl with owlets at Pheasant Branch, Madison Wisconsin. Photographs taken on May 7, 2013

Barred Owl Adult

Barred Owl Juvenile

Adult coming into nest cavity to feed a juvenile.

Adult turning around in nest cavity.

Adult exiting nest cavity.

Adult in flight after leaving nest cavity.

2 Juveniles in nest cavity.

Townsend’s Solitaire at Richard Bong State Recreational Area in Kenosha County Wisconsin on January 30, 2012

By admin | June 21, 2013 - 6:45 pm |February 12, 2015 Bird Categories, Thrushes

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Townsend’s Solitaire at Richard Bong State Recreational Area in Kenosha County Wisconsin on January 30, 2012.

Townsend’s Solitaire

Binomial name: Myadestes townsendi

Category: Thrushes

Size: 8.5” long, 14.5” wingspan

Weight: 1.2 Oz.

Barrow’s Goldeneye at North Point in Sheboygan Wisconsin on January 7, 2011

By admin | June 20, 2013 - 8:56 pm |December 28, 2014 Bird Categories, Ducks, Geese, and Swans

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Barrow’s Goldeneye, male, at North Point in Sheboygan Wisconsin on January 7, 2011. This duck remained far from shore during it’s short visit in Sheboygan. A very rare visitor to the state of Wisconsin. Only distant images could be taken. Some images show both male Barrow’s Goldeneye and Common Goldeneye together.

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Binomial name: Bucephala islanddica

Category: Duck, Geese, and Swans

Size: 18” long, 28” wing span

Weight: 2.1 lb.

Barrow’s Goldeneye, male left – Common Goldeneye, male center – Common Goldeneye, female left

Barrow’s Goldeneye, male far right – Common Goldeneye, male center left with Common Goldeneye females

Great Egret

By admin | June 20, 2013 - 8:30 pm |May 29, 2014 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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Great Egret photographed at Horicon Marsh and the Fox River in Waterford WI.

Sandhill Crane

By admin | June 20, 2013 - 8:05 pm |December 13, 2014 Cranes

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Sandhill Crane with colts, South Kettle Moraine Waukesha County WI. Photographs taken on May 19, 2011

Sandhill Crane

Binomial name: Grus canadensis

Category: Cranes

Size: 46” long, 77” wing span

Weight: 10.6 lb.

Habitat: Sandhill Cranes typically breed, forage and nest in wetlands, grasslands, marshes, bogs and sometimes dry lands. Out of the breeding season they spend more time in deeper water of lakes and ponds where they are more safe from the many predators they have being a ground species.

Diet: Seeds, grains, snails, insects, worms, amphibians, reptiles, nestling birds, small mammals, and sometimes berries. With their long bills the dig for tubers.

Nesting: The nest is constructed of dead plant material such as cattails, burr reeds, sedges and grasses. Later on green plant material is added to the nest. The nest is cup shaped 30”-40” across and 4”-6” high lined with small sticks and twigs. Both adults gather the material, but the female arranges the materials in the construction of the nest to her liking. The male defends the nest during incubation. 1-3 eggs are laid in the nest, both parents incubate the eggs for 30 days, they hatch covered in down. The young leave the nest usually in less than a day. The adults feed the young for the first few weeks and then less and less as they become more independent taking 9 to 10 months.

Cool facts: The Sandhill Cranes is the most common crane in the world. Sandhill Cranes are known by their graceful dancing skills. Within 8 hours of hatching the young are capable of swimming. If a mate dies, a new mate is found and a nest is reused by the new pair.

Red Phalarope at the South Metro Pier in Oak Creek Wisconsin on November 8, 2010

By admin | June 20, 2013 - 8:05 pm |December 28, 2014 Bird Categories, Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

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Red Phalarope at the South Metro Pier in Oak Creek Wisconsin on November 8, 2010

Red Phalarope

Binomial name: Phalaropus fulicaria

Category: Phalaropes

Size: 8.5” long, 17” wing span

Weight: 1.9 oz.

Dunlin

By admin | June 20, 2013 - 4:23 pm |January 4, 2014 Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

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Dunlin photographed at North Point in Sheboygan, WI on May 30, 2012.

White-faced Ibis

By admin | June 20, 2013 - 3:54 pm |January 30, 2014 Bitterns, Herons, and Allies

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White-faced Ibis at the Horicon Marsh Wisconsin. Photographs taken on May 24, 2013

Varied Thrush

By admin | June 20, 2013 - 12:01 pm |January 24, 2014 Thrushes

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Varied Thrush in Ozaukee County WI. Photographs taken on March 3, 2013.

Lesser Black-backed Gull at Johnson Creek in Jefferson County Wisconsin on December 18, 2012

By admin | June 19, 2013 - 7:50 pm |February 12, 2015 Bird Categories, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

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A hot spot for gulling in the cold winter months of the year is the dump and Kohl’s parking lot in Johnson Creek Wisconsin. It can provide nice views of some winter wandering gulls. Today one of the gulls present was a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Images were taken on December 18, 2012.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Binomial name: Laris fuscus

Category: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Size: 21” long, 54” wing span

Weight: 1.8 lb

Sanderling

By admin | June 19, 2013 - 4:32 pm |January 18, 2014 Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

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Sanderling North Point Sheboygan 5-30-2012

Sanderling

Binomial name: Calidris alba

Category: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

Description: Whitish-gray feathers with a thick, black bill and feet.

Size: 7.1″ – 7.9″ long, 13.8″ wingspan

Weight: 1.4 oz. – 3.5 oz.

Habitat: Rocky shorelines in coastal and island regions or inland marshes and wetlands.

Diet: Insects, crustaceans, invertebrates, and plants or grasses.

Nesting: The female gathers materials and builds the nest, usually a scrape on a shallow rocky area or a preexisting depression in sand. She may line it sparsely with grasses, leaves, lichens, moss. The typical clutch size is 3 to 4 eggs and both parents incubate. The male is highly territorial and will defend the nesting site.

Notes: Sanderlings are a populous and widespread shorebird with a global distribution. They show up on nearly every temperate and tropical shoreline in the world. However, they only breed in the high Arctic.

Sanderling North Point Sheboygan 5-30-2012

Sanderling North Point Milwaukee 9-4-2011

Bald Eagle

By admin | June 18, 2013 - 5:42 pm |December 18, 2019 Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies

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Bald Eagles on the Mississippi River in Le Claire IA in February 2012.

Bald Eagle

Binomial name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Category: Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies

Description: Brown with a white head and white tail feathers. Yellow eyes, beak, and feet.

Size: 28″ – 40″ long, 5.9′ – 7.5′ wingspan

Weight: 6.6 lbs. – 14 lbs.

Habitat: Forested areas near open bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, wetlands, and coastal shorelines.

Diet: Mostly fish but occasionally small mammals, ducks, and gulls.

Nesting: Both parents gather materials although the female does most of the building. The nests are made out of branches and sticks and then lined with grass, moss, and feathers. They may be rebuilt and reused repeatedly over many years. The typical clutch size is 1 to 3 eggs. Both parents will incubate the eggs with the female incubating more often while the male hunts for food. The young will fledge as early as 8 weeks after hatching, or up to 14 weeks.

Notes: Bald eagles mate for life (if one partner dies, the remaining will choose a new mate). They engage in elaborate courtship rituals which involves a locking of talons followed by a free fall; they separate just before hitting the ground. The Bald Eagle is the national bird and national animal of the United States of America, appearing on many official seals of the government.

Harlequin Duck

By admin | June 17, 2013 - 7:36 pm |December 11, 2015 Ducks, Geese, and Swans

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Harlequin Duck, nonbreeding male photographed at North Point in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on January 5, 2012.

Harlequin Duck

Binomial name: Histrionicus histrionicus

Category: Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Description: Slate blue (male) or grayish brown (female) body with white spots or streaks on head, back, and wings. Male also has rust-colored patches on sides.

Size: 13″ – 21.3″ long, 22″ – 26″wingspan

Weight: 17.6 oz. – 25.6 oz.

Habitat: Rocky shores and coastlines in mountains or forests.

Diet: Small insects, spiders, fish, and crustaceans.

Nesting: The female provides all parental care, building a nest in a protected space on the ground, often near water. The female will lay 3 – 9 eggs at a time, laying eggs once per summer. Although the male does not help rear the young, the pair will likely mate for life.

Notes: Harlequin ducks are extremely buoyant due to their tightly packed feathers. These feathers also insulate them from chilly water while they swim and dive.

Leucistic Barn Swallow

By admin | June 17, 2013 - 9:53 am |January 24, 2014 Swallows

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Leucistic Barn Swallow, Vernon Marsh, Waukesha County WI. Photographs taken on July 29, 2012

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

By admin | June 16, 2013 - 5:34 pm |January 19, 2014 Tyrant Flycatchers

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Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Mequon Wisconsin, Photographs taken on October 31, 2012

Short-eared Owls in the South Kettle Moraine at the Scuppernong River Habitat Area in Waukesha County Wisconsin on March 8, 2013

By admin | June 15, 2013 - 8:38 pm |January 28, 2015 Bird Categories, Typical Owls

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The Short-eared Owl has been one species on my list to see and photograph. The Scuppernong River Habitat Area in Waukesha County has some and I went out, spent the afternoon till dark to try to capture these cool birds. Late in the day as the sun is just starting to go down 4 birds appeared from out of no where it seemed. They hovered over the prairie areas and on occasion perched for a couple of minutes. These images are a little rough because of the little light that is left in the day when they come out and start their hunting, but show some of the action that took place. Images where taken on March 8, 2013.