Birding about this Barred Owl was found as expected at a known location but with some fresh snow surrounding it. A nice mild morning with some sunshine made for a nice photo opportunity. A quick photo and I left this area. Image was taken on February 26, 2022.
Barred Owl with the fresh snow…
As I walked one of my birding spots in Milwaukee County coming over a hill I spotted a Great Horned Owl watching me from a distance. The owl was high up in a broken off large tree just staring at me like they do, assuming it is on a nest. I found it’s mate off in a distant spruce tree and viewable to the owl on the nest. I was a nice day with plenty of sun low winds but cool. Image was taken on February 25, 2022.
The Great Horned Owl on the nest…
The 2nd Great Horned Owl off in a distant spruce tree watches the nest…
Birding this location in the past has produced Barred Owls so it was nothing new to see one perched in a tree quiet as a mouse today. Always nice! A pleasant mild morning temperature wise but cloudy with temps around 34 degrees. Images were taken on February 21, 2022.
The Barred Owl sitting so quietly…
A Ross’s Goose, a rare visitor, was present at South Shore Park along Milwaukee’s lakefront this morning. It had been reported in the area and was hanging out resting and a little eating with about 15 Canada Geese. It was a bitter cold morning with temps around 6 degrees at the time with full sun which actually did help in taking the bite out of the air. Images were taken on February 19, 2022.
The Ross’s Goose sitting on the freshly fallen snow…
Did just a little walking around while I was there maybe getting something to eat…
Beautiful…!
Resting in some partial shade…
Not much to eat at this location…
While out birding in Waukesha County I came across a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers. A male and female moved through a small hardwood forest area quickly in search of insects. Way to early for nesting, in a short time they had left the area. A nice day with warmer temps expected but it was still 24 degrees at this time. Images were taken on February 8, 2022.
The Pileated Woodpecker, a male in search of insects…
Male…
Climbing around on different trees this female in search of insects…
Finding things to eat, the female…
Female…
I was in search of Red or White-winged Crossbills this morning and it was a nice surprise to come across a pair of Long-eared Owls. This location is not where other Long-eared Owls have been photographed, reported, or roosting recently in the state. One of the owls was more in the open for photos so a took a couple. The other owl was in some thick pine branches not up for a photo. With the bright sunny day in the dark pines, it was not easy to capture the amazing moment with the Long-eared Owls. These owls were watching me as I quietly left the area. It was a bright sunny day and finally a little warmer temps, high near 32 degrees with light winds. Images were taken on January 31, 2022.
The Long-eared Owl…
Taking a closer look at a distance after finding the owl…
White wash from an owl…
When my eyes first spotted this bird in the tree at about 30 feet…too small for a Great Horned Owl, too big for a Saw-whet Owl…has to be a Long-eared Owl…
This owl totally ignored my presence, and I just ignored it too after a few of shots and left the area…
I took a ride in the South Kettle Moraine in the afternoon and found some White-winged Crossbills at Stute Springs. There were roughly 20-25 birds very high up feeding on cone seeds and moving around plenty from tree to tree. After a few minutes they circled the area a few times and headed west. The photos are a little fuzzy as the birds were high up and far away. I have stopped here other times this winter and never saw a crossbill, pretty much hit and miss with this species at this location. It was a cold day with a pretty good breeze out of the north and a high temperature of 6 degrees for the day. Sunny skies did give some relief out of the wind. Images were taken on January 25, 2022.
White-winged Crossbill, male
White-winged Crossbill, female
White-winged Crossbill, male
A nice find, a pair of Eastern Screech Owls in Southeastern Wisconsin, a red and gray morph. They looked so cute snuggled together on a cold morning, 12 degrees at the time the photo was taken. Image was taken on January 21, 2022.
The rare species for the area, the Purple Sandpiper found on January 1, 2022 is still hanging around on the Milwaukee lakefront. Another Purple Sandpiper has also joined it so there are two now for the last week or so. I have not been down to the lakefront for some time and decided to check them out. They both were present at the beach area and gave nice views. The first one I found was feeding along the icy shore and the second I found bathing underneath a rocky area. It was a cloudy morning but temps has eased some from the last week, today was 23 degrees, low winds, it was pleasant. Images were taken on January 17, 2022.
The Purple Sandpiper, bird #1 finding things to eat along the shore…
The Purple Sandpiper, bird #2 found under some large rocks bathing…
Flew around under the rocks, maybe stretching those wings?
One of my birding stops today gave nice views of a beautiful Green-winged Teal on the Fox River in Waukesha. This male hung around with Mallards and Canada Geese as if it was one of them. I check this place often in winter months as you never know what will show up. It was a cold day with temps at 14 degrees with plenty of sunshine and a good breeze, we are in January, no surprise. Images were taken on January 9, 2022.
Green-winged Teal, male
A stretch!
Green-winged Teal with a Mallard, female, a big difference in size!
Another stretch…
At takeoff…
Just being a duck…
One of my stops birding along the Milwaukee Lakefront produced a nice, but distant views and shots of a Snowy Owl. Always a beautiful bird! It appears to be a female bird. I typical winter day with temps in the upper teens, low winds made for a nice morning out. Images were taken on January 4, 2021.
Stopping at the Fox River in Waukesha to check out the ducks I got a nice little surprise. In the Alder Trees that line the river there at a few locations, one tree in particular was loaded with the Common Redpolls. They looked very hungry and ate like it was their last meal eating seeds from the Alder Tree tiny cones. They flew a few times to other trees in the area and even some very large mature trees other than Alders. I have seem them here before back in 2016 so not a total surprise. I looked some for Hoary Redpolls but I did not see them. It was a very cold day with temps around 8 degrees with a little breeze, the sun hardly helped warm the air. Images were taken on January 3, 2022.
Common Redpoll, male, just perched on a stump, was eating some fallen cone seeds…
Common Redpoll eating Alder cone seeds…
A bill with a cone seed…
Getting all those seeds or trying to…
Yummy!
Male…
It was a nice surprise to hear of a Purple Sandpiper at McKinley Beach this morning on New Year’s Day. When I arrived at the Milwaukee lakefront it was still present feeding along a little sand area just south of the beach. This bird was found by Jessica H, nice find and thank you for getting the word out for others to see. A cold and cloudy morning with good winds off the lake at about 20 degrees. Image were taken on January 1, 2022.
The Purple Sandpiper finding things to eat…
One of my birding stops today produced a surprise Long-eared Owl perched 5 feet off the ground. It remained still for about 5 minutes, was not even looking at me, I was very quiet, it must have been eyeing up some food. After about 5 minutes passed, it turned its head and looked at me and I took a few shots. It was a cloudy day with some wind, cold temps around 30 degrees. Images were taken on December 23, 2021.
When I found the Long-eared Owl…it remained looking in that direction for about 5 minutes…
Another shot of when I came upon this owl…
I made a trip to the Milwaukee Lakefront early in the morning in search of Snowy Owls. Present was a hatch year male Snowy Owl at Lakeshore State Park. Another owl was on a pier dock at Discovery World close to Lakeshore SP. The owl at Lakeshore State Park was flushed when a couple of fishermen unknowingly scared it off coming into the area the owl was. It was a cloudy and windy morning with temps around 38 degrees. It was a cloudy and windy morning with temps around 38 degrees. Images were taken on November 24, 2021.
A hatch year male sits on a rock at Lakeshore State Park…
It takes to the sky when fisherman unknowingly walk into the area…
At the pier…a female
One of my birding stops today provided excellent views of a male Hooded Merganser in Waukesha County. It swam around with some Mallards, ate and did some preening too. A beautiful bird with partly cloudy skies, light winds and mild temperatures. Images were taken on November 7, 2021.
The Hooded Merganser, male…
Closeup…
The hood up…
The hood with a breeze…
Talking to another duck…
Preening…
Alert!
Just up from a dive…
Just a good looking duck!
I enjoyed nice looks at this beautiful juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker in Marquette County. Some red is coming in on the head. A gorgeous day with some sun and mild temperatures for this time of year. Images were taken on November 6, 2021.
The juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker with some red starting to come in on the head…
I think opening a seed here…
Opening a seed here too, unless it is trying to stick in into the branch for future food…
A stop at McKinley Beach this morning gave nice views of Snow Buntings. There were about 15 present and were resting on some of the rocks along the lake or on grassy areas eating seeds. It was a cold morning with temps starting out around 25 degrees but with no wind and sunny skies it was pleasant. Images were taken on November 3, 2021.
The Snow Bunting…
Binomial name: Plectrophenax nivalis
Category: Longspurs and Snow Buntings
Size: 6.75” long, 14” wing span
Weight: 1.5 oz
Note: An arctic breeder that winters in the northern US and western Canada
Getting seeds to eat…seed in bill…they really blend in well in their surroundings…
More seeds to eat…
What they eat…
On the rocks….
Beautiful bird…
I got a tip this morning on Black-crowned Night-Herons at Lakeshore State Park and I went to check them out. There were 3 juvenile birds present and they hung out on the rock shores catching food on one occasion that I saw. A few other attempts for food were made but they were missed. It was a beautiful day that warmed up to hot by noon, sunny skies and low winds. Images were taken on September 19, 2021.
The Black-crowned Night-Heron juvenile hunting…
Such a beautiful bird…
Hunting…
Preening…
Waiting for something to come swimming by…
Here’s a catch, a fish…
Moving around on some rocks…
Standing at the shore this one waits for something to come by to eat…
Standing in the water and waiting for something to eat…
Just waiting for something to come by to eat…
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…
