This time of year Garter Snakes can be found coming out of hibernation and enjoying some of the mild temperatures of spring. They are a little sluggish or dormant but some are starting to come alive. I found some today on a walk and took some photos of them. I … Continue reading
A birding stop at the Fox River in Waukesha early am produced nice views of Ring-necked, Lesser Scaup, Redhead and Common Goldeneye ducks. Also present was 1 American Coot and a lot of Mallards. The main river had a thin layer of ice so these ducks were closer to the … Continue reading
Birding about Waukesha County I came across a couple of Sandhill Cranes off the highway. They must have come in the last day or two. They moved around and seemed to find some food in a few spots where maybe frost was not in the ground. It was nice seeing … Continue reading
Birding in the Oconomowoc area I came across 5 Horned Larks finding seeds on the roadside to eat. These birds typically don’t let you get too close to them so these couple of images were taken out of the car window while parked. A sunny morning with cool temps but … Continue reading
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.
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. … Continue reading
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.
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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. … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
I have put together a collection of some of the Wisconsin birding moments from the year 2021. The collection includes vagrants, special visitors, or just the beautiful birds that nest here or migrate through the state of Wisconsin. All images were taken in 2021. It was a very exciting year … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
