While out birding I came across a couple of Long-eared Owls just perched pretty. I took a couple of quick photos and off I went. It was a cloudy day with light winds and mild temperatures for mid December around 34 degrees. Images were taken on December 14, 2024.
One of my birding stops today was to see if Sandhill Cranes were present at the Bark River in Delafield. There were a pair of them in the middle of the river looking for a couple of things to eat, preening and just standing around. A Great Blue Heron was … Continue reading
While birding I came across an Eastern Screech Owl, red morph high in a tree cavity. It was a partly cloudy morning with mild temps around 45 degrees with low winds. Image was taken on December 7, 2024.
I had found a Northern Saw-whet Owl almost a month ago and thought today I would do a follow up visit. The Northern Saw-whet Owl was still at the same location just perched pretty enjoying the beautiful day. It was a mild December day with light winds, mild temps around … Continue reading
This was an exciting, very rare bird for Wisconsin! A Sage Thrasher has been being seen only a few times a day at a private residence for about a week. I struggled to get up to see this bird sooner with no results. This bird’s normal range is Montana, Wyoming, … Continue reading
A Snowy Owl was present this morning at Lakeshore State Park. It was giving great views from a distance. It seemed like it was in a safe area there from being disturbed below large rocks near the water where people will not go. So nice to see this species again … Continue reading
Most Great Blue Herons have headed south for the winter but today at Greenfield Park I found this one. This juvenile just perched on a log was just hanging out. I have not seen any lately here at the park so this one could be headed south too, just taking … Continue reading
I have been looking for the last few weeks for the Northern Saw-whet Owl. Today I was rewarded finding one in a pine. It is a feeling like no other. When you are digging around in parks etc and you look up and you are looking one, it is like … Continue reading
While out birding I heard some talk of a Western Cattle Egret near Big Bend. I took a drive out there and it was present. It hung around with a couple of cattle eating ticks or flies off the legs of these animals. It seems to be right at home … Continue reading
One of my birding stops this morning was Lakeshore State Park. Greeting me at the entrance of the park when I arrived was a Harris’s Sparrow perched on top of a crab apple tree. Not a rare bird, but a bird you are typically only going to see 1 or … Continue reading
It was a fun day photographing the beauty of the Wood Ducks in Milwaukee County. The fall colors add an extra dash of color to these beautiful ducks. They were very active at times and sometimes just doing nothing but hanging out. It was mostly sunny with temps at 44 … Continue reading
A couple of stops on the Milwaukee lakefront provided great looks at some migrating shorebirds. Lakeshore State Park had 3 Buff-breasted Sandpipers and 3 Black-bellied Plovers. Pebble Beach near McKinley Beach had 5 Semipalmated Plovers, 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers and 2 Sanderlings. The shorebirds at Lakeshore State Park moved around from … Continue reading
I was surprised to find a Praying Mantis while looking through some wildflowers. It gave nice looks for enough time to get a couple of photos before letting it go. I can’t remember the last time I found one of these. It was a cloudy day some winds and temps … Continue reading
Albino Squirrels are not common at all so I took advantage of getting some images of this one I found in Waukesha County. I made one stop a week after initially finding this one on August 16, 2024 and it was still present in the same area just eating an … Continue reading
I have tried to capture some of the recent beauty of some spring to summer blooming native wildflowers. Wildflower images have been taken in the yard here in Waukesha or Marquette County. Most wildflowers here are native to Wisconsin. The spring started out with nice moisture and has continued well … Continue reading
It was a different subject today photographing a Common Garter Snake. There was one that gave nice views and I did not turn it down for a photo. It was out for about 30 seconds and then back in the rocks it went. It was a beautiful morning with plenty … Continue reading
I received a tip on Pileated Woodpeckers feeding their young in a natural cavity at Lapham Peak in the south Kettle Moraine State Forest in Waukesha County. I checked it out and it was an exciting event to witness. There were the two adult birds and 4 young, I only … Continue reading
While birding the Milwaukee County lakefront I came across a couple of Killdeer chicks. 2 adults were close by with one sitting on a nest. It was a beautiful morning with plenty of sunshine, cool temps early and low winds. Images were taken on June 3, 2024.
I got a report that the Crested Caracara was seen a second day at Marengo in Ashland County. This bird is so rare to Wisconsin as this is only the 2nd state record! The bird’s normal range is southern Texas, Mexico and south into South America, it is a long … Continue reading
I went on a hunt for Cicadas this morning an one of the places I heard they might be at is Lyons Wildlife Area in Walworth County. They were there, my first stop. I could hear the sounds of the Cicadas as I open my car door. It was an … Continue reading
