Eastern Screech Owl, red morph catching some sun in Milwaukee County. It was a beautiful day with low winds and sunny skies, but temps only around 37 degrees for a high. It was cold! Image was taken on April 24, 2024.
Driving through Jackson Park in Milwaukee gave nice looks at a Greater- White-fronted Goose. It was hanging around with about 25 Canada Geese. It has been reported on and off the last week and I thought I would try my like at seeing it, it was there when I was there. When I was present and dog walker not knowingly moved the geese into the pond. It must be a common thing at the city park. It was a nice sunny day with pleasant temps around 45 degrees. Images were taken on April 19, 2024.
The Greater White-fronted Goose on shore near the Canada Geese…
Feeding with the Canada Geese…
After getting into the pond to avoid any dog…
Preening…
Off it goes to the middle area of the pond…
I went to a location of where a Great Horned Owl has been sitting on a nest to see how far things have moved along. The owlets are very visible, moving around and probably will be leaving the nest soon. They gave some nice views today while I was there. An adult Great Horned Owl was off in a distance high in a tree keeping an eye on the nest. It was a beautiful morning with full sun, 60 degrees and low winds. Image was taken on April 10, 2024.
3 Great Horned Owl owlets in the photo if you can see them…
This little one has the mouth open wanting something to eat from an adult…
Profile view…
While out birding I came across a Killdeer walking along a road. I looked around and saw and adult Killdeer sitting on the nest. The bird stood up and I saw the eggs, two of them. I immediately left the area not to disturb anything. A couple photos here showing both birds, the one on the nest and the other about 75 feet away from the nest. It was a beautiful morning with full sun, 60 degrees and low winds. Image was taken on April 10, 2024.
The Killdeer on the nest but stood up when I drove by…
The other adult bird away from the nest…
Closeup…
One of my birding stops today was Lake Park in Milwaukee County. There were some nice birds seen but the highlight was this Pine Warbler, male that gave nice looks as I was just strolling around. There were a few Kinglets, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned and also some Yellow-rumped Warblers to name a few. It was a beautiful morning with full sun, 60 degrees and low winds. Image was taken on April 10, 2024.
Pine Warbler, male…
It was a fun day photographing the beauty of the Wood Ducks in Milwaukee County. They were very active at times and sometimes just doing nothing but hanging out. It was mostly sunny with steady north winds making it cold with temps at 36 degrees. Images were taken on March 28, 2024.
Wood Duck, this male stretching…
Wood Duck, female, that color on the head…just up from a dive…
Just looking pretty…
Beautiful male Wood Duck…
Stunning female Wood Duck…
x
This female Wood Duck just up from a dive under…
A stop this morning at the Fox River in Waukesha provided nice views of a I’m assuming female Hooded Merganser. Also present was a female Common Merganser. They swam around the river finding things to eat. The pedestrian traffic along the river usually keeps visiting ducks in the middle of the river. I got a break once when this cutie was a little closer to the shore. It was a cold morning with temps around 30 degrees and pretty good winds out of the north coming down the river. The full sun did not help warm things up till mid morning. Images were taken on March 10, 2024.
The female Hooded Merganser…
The female Hooded Merganser…
Has a fish and ate it too…
The female Common Merganser…
Windy day, feathers up…
Another …
I had a opportunity to photograph a pair of Eastern Bluebirds and did not turn it down. The pair found things to eat, one insect was what looked like a centipede. 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 1, 2024.
The male Eastern Bluebird…
The female Eastern Bluebird…
At take off…
The female Eastern Bluebird…calling…
The male with a centipede…
There was a breeze, feathers were blowing in the wind…
Coming in for a landing…
Looking for more insects below…
Perched pretty…
I saw reports of this rare bird being seen in Ashland County for about a week. The Fieldfare, a super rare bird for Wisconsin, a 1st state record is native to Europe. I obviously need it for my state life list. It was being seen all week, but not everyday which made it a hard decision to drive 6 hours one way to try for it. I finally decided, I might as well try for it and made the run up to Ashland leaving the house at midnight to get there when the sun comes up. After everyone, 40 birders and I were wandering around for over an hour the bird suddenly appeared and put on a very brief appearance for the 40 birders and I, some from as far away as Montana and Maine, at Prentice Park in Ashland Co. When this bird has been seen during the week, it is only giving looks from roughly 7-8:30 am daily, then disappearing for the rest of the day. I walked away with a very distant shot at about 500 feet as the bird perched on the other side of a large field. A big thank you to the finders of this bird and getting the word out for others to see it. Life Bird for Wisconsin #377. It was a cool morning to start with temps around 26 degrees, a slight breeze and mostly cloudy skies. Image was taken on February 21, 2024.
Late Saturday afternoon I got wind of a very rare for Wisconsin, an adult Glaucous-winged Gull, being reported at the Prairie du Sac Dam in Sauk County. This gull noamally winters on the west coast of California and breeds along the west coast of Canada and Alaska in the summer. I needed this bird for my Wisconsin life list so I thought I might as well try for it. I arrived there at the dam early morning with plenty darkness. As it got lighter more birders showed up. It was seen by a couple of birders about 30 minutes after it got light but I did not get my eyes on it. There were easily 200 plus gulls flying over the Wisconsin River so it was very challenging to spot for this gull. After another hour or so had passed, it was once again re-found and I got some distant photos shooting into the sun just below the dam. It gave nice views but photos were another story. It was seen for 5 minutes and then it was out of sight again. It was a sunny morning with mild temps with a little bit of a breeze. Photos taken on February 18, 2024. Wisconsin life bird #376.
During the winter months I bird locations all over southeastern Wisconsin with hopes to find a Northern Saw-whet Owl. I dig here and there and it has been a quiet winter until last week. I have come across 2 of them just recently. They are so tiny, cute and motionless in the trees when I found them, and are that way when I leave. One had a vole in it’s talons. They may be cute with their catlike face and quiet looking, but they are highly nocturnal with activity beginning at late dusk. I always tell anyone who asks how to find them, I tell them look in pine trees, even if it is just one out in the open. It has been cold weather with some light snow, temps this morning around 10 degrees
Northern Saw-whet Owl…
The Northern Saw-whet Owl with the vole…
I left the house this morning like many mornings this time of year in search for the Northern Saw-whet Owl. I have looked hard the last month and this morning was my lucky day. Coming around a corner on a path, I looked up and here is one looking right at me!! When this happens I usually am in shock for a few seconds. This Saw-whet had a vole in its talons so it was just out for breakfast I guess. I took a couple of quick photos and off I went. It looked so beautifully perched in the tree when I left it. Always a great time when you come across one of these. It was a cloudy morning with temps around 28 degrees and a good breeze making it feel like winter again. Image was taken on February 11, 2024.
The Northern Saw-whet Owl with the vole…
While birding I came across an Eastern Screech Owl, red morph high in a tree cavity. The sun was just touching it’s face, making a nice setting for a photo. It was a sunny morning with mild temps around 40 degrees with low winds. Image was taken on February 9, 2024.
I did some birding like yesterday looking for owls in Milwaukee County. Walking across a field in front of me and looking right at me was a beautiful Eastern Screech Owl, brown morph. From a long distance I took a photo. A couple of steps ahead and the owl disappeared into the cavity below. I left the area, so it can get back out and enjoy the day. It is always fun finding an owl at a new location. It was a gorgeous day with full sun, low winds and mild temps around 40 degrees. Image was taken on February 1, 2024.
The Eastern Screech Owl just enjoying the sun…
This Eastern Screech Owl, brown morph flew by me today and landed close by while birding in Milwaukee County. It was a nice surprise, it only hung around for about 10 seconds, enough to get one photo. It was a mostly cloudy morning with a good breeze but temps were milder than they have been in the past, around 35 degrees. Image was taken on January 31, 2024.
The Eastern Screech Owl giving nice looks for about 10 seconds…
A Barred Owl seen and photographed in Milwaukee County Wisconsin. A typical January morning with cloudy skies, low winds and temps around 30 degrees. Image was taken on January 22, 2024.
While birding at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee County I was observing a Long-eared Owl at a distance. Moments later a Red Fox was starting to work it’s way towards the owl. I could tell that something was going to happen as the Red Fox got about 20′ from the roosting owl near the ground the owl flushed. The Long-eared Owl landed near me in a tree. I took a few photos and left the area. On another note… there was a 2nd Long-eared Owl when got there. It flew away from it’s roosting spot with the other owl and must have spotted a vole or something. Moments later a Rough-legged Hawk came by and snatched the Long-eared Owl off the ground and off they went. I saw a photo of the two in flight, a sad moment for the day. It was a very cold morning with a high around 10, a light breeze but full sun maybe it feel a little better. Images were taken on January 20, 2024.
The Long-eared Owl…
While birding out in Waukesha County I came across 16 Sandhill Cranes on the Bark River in Delafield. They were just hanging out doing some preening and not very active. They are probably saving their energy for the days ahead with snow and cold in the forecast. It was a cloudy day, mild temps around 34 degrees, with low winds. Images were taken on January 11, 2024.
Sandhill Crane…
Sandhill Cranes, pair…
All of them, 16 Sandhill Cranes…
A pair…
Some preening…
Some more preening…
Sandhill Cranes…
Preening…
A group, some preening…
Just beautiful…
One of my birding stops today in Milwaukee County produced great views of a Barred Owl. It appeared to be just resting and did not mind my presence from a distance. It was a cloudy day, mild temps for this time of year around 40 degrees. Image was taken on December 29, 2023.
The Barred Owl…
I was out for a walk in Marquette County when a Barred Owl flew off in front of me. It perched nearby and gave nice views for a photo. It was a partly cloudy day with some light snow flurries on and off, low winds and temps around 35 degrees. Image was taken on December 29, 2023.
The Barred Owl…
