I Didn't Get A Chance To Go Birding This Past Weekend, So It's Time For Another Post From The Archives.

I found the Snowy Owl! Using the recent sightings reported in the area as my guide, I went driving around Dane, WI yesterday. I stopped to scan a corn field with my binoculars and spotted this guy perched on a fence post.

I knew right away the large white bird on the post was the Snowy I was after, so I quickly grabbed my camera and got out to find a good spot to set up. Of course, as soon as I got the bird in frame he decided to fly up to the roof peak of a farm building further away. Even so, I sat down and took a few long-distance bursts in case that was only look I would get. Then I noticed that there was a house among the farm buildings. If someone was home maybe they'd let me take a closer look?

Just as I'd hoped, the folks living there were home and they were happy to let me onto their property for a chance at a better photo. They even pointed out a good spot behind a concrete wall where I could stand totally out of sight of the corn field. It turned out to be such a good blind that all the shots in this post were taken there. And just as we were talking, the Owl flew back down to that same fence post!

He was very cooperative, sitting mostly still while I fiddled with settings and let the auto-focus pick between the snow and the post. I figure he was hunting, scanning the field for little creatures. Then he did a little preening and stretched his neck before taking flight!

He didn't immediately pounce on anything, instead wheeling up toward a tree across the field. I thought he would land up there, but instead he flushed a smaller dark bird and started chasing it! Zooming in on the photos of the sortie revealed that the enemy was either a Cooper's or a Sharp-shinned Hawk. I wish I could have seen how that encounter turned out, but they flew out of sight across the field.

Even without a high-speed pursuit, seeing the Snowy Owl so close was my top birding moment of the year so far. Many thanks to Dean and Deb for welcoming me onto their property and making this moment possible!

I've been spending a good deal of time outside, what with spring migration going on in Wisconsin. Some of this is simply sitting in my back yard and staring up at the trees, watching for bird shapes. But we also carved out a weekend to attend the Horicon Marsh Bird Festival. I really ought to do a longer post on the great things we saw there, but this one is about Barn Swallows.

[ID: A Barn Swallow sits on the edge of a steel roof. They have a dark blue head and wings, buffy yellow underparts, and orange on the face, throat, and a narrow fringe along the top of the breast. The Swallow is looking off to the right with one large dark eye showing. They have a little mud caked on their bill, with more flecks on their chin and head. End ID]

This individual is one of many that have recently arrived at Horicon Marsh and were building nests around the visitor's center. They build their nests by scooping up small bits of mud in their beaks and sticking it to a wall, the underside of a dock, and yes, even a barn. You can tell these two have been working on their nests because of the messes on their faces.

[ID: Two Barn Swallows rest on the edge of a steel roof. They are spaced just a few inches apart, both looking off to the right. End ID]

I wanted to share this series for a couple reasons. First, I was terribly charmed by the sight of a couple Swallows sitting just a few feet from the main entrance of the Visitor's Center, with no concern for the people walking in and out of the building right past them. They probably flew thousands of miles to get to this spot, and now they're spending all day flying literal teaspoons of mud back and forth to build a temporary home for their kids. Second, I knew I could get some really nice portraits with such a close encounter.

[ID: A portrait of a Barn Swallow, one of the same two pictured above. At this close distance, it's possible to pick out the individual feathers on the Swallow's face, specks of mud on their bill, and the reflection of the clouds and the horizon in their eye. End ID]

I'm sure they're tired from all the hard work. They seemed completely unbothered by us standing so close, but also not terribly interested in the traffic on the sidewalk.

[ID: A Barn Swallow looks over at the camera. Their bill turns down slightly at the corners, making for the appears of a small frown. End ID]

This one did glance in my direction long enough to capture an expression that reads to me like mild disinterest. But then they went right back to staring out at the parking lot, not really making any noise or even appearing to communicate with one another. I'd like to think they enjoy sharing a moment of quiet contemplation with a friend.

We have family that live out in the woods in Walworth County, WI. It's always a treat to visit them, both for the company and the abundance of wild forest birds that visit their feeders. Their house is my one reliable place to see Tufted Titmice around here, so I had to bring my camera.

[ID: A Tufted Titmouse clings to a thin branch. It's mostly gray with white underparts, black bill, a black patch around the bill, and large black eyes. It has hints of orange under each wing and a small crest of top of its head. End ID]

The Titmice were very active at the feeder that day, but they're a tricky subject to catch. They will only perch for a second or two before seizing their moment to grab a seed at the feeder and fly off to eat it in private. So I had to keep my camera at the ready and pointed at one of their favorite landing spots to catch just a handful of frames.

[ID: An American Tree Sparrow sits on the branch of a small tree. It has streaky brown wings with two white wing bars, streaks of tan on the underparts, and a brown eye line and reddish brown cap. It has the characteristic two-tone bill for American Tree Sparrows: dark grey upper bill, yellow lower bill. End ID]

Of course, I had to grab a selection of shots for the other visitors while I was there. This American Tree Sparrow was also a first-of-year for me, seemingly the only one hanging out with the flock of Titmice, Juncos, and Chickadees.

[ID: A Black-capped Chickadee sits on a bare branch. It has grey wings and tail, with white underparts blending to cream under the wings. It has a dark black cap and throat encapsulating the tiny black beak and bright white cheek patches. End ID]

The Black-capped Chickadees were either a lot more numerous or bolder than the other birds visiting the feeders, with one or two grabbing seeds at any given moment and at least three or four others hanging out in the trees nearby looking for an opening.

[ID: A Dark-eyed Junco checks the grass near a brick walkway for food. It's likely a male from the dark grey body and head, with white underparts and tiny hints of brown in the back and wing feathers. The general dark plumage and black eye contrast with the pale pink beak. End ID]

And the Dark-eyed Juncos were happy to mostly forage on the ground in clusters near each feeder. This one in particular got quite a bit closer than the others, giving me a chance to capture a higher level of detail.

I'm thinking I should start to fill out this new blog. My main artistic expression these days is photography, and birds are my favorite subject. So let's take a look back in the archive together.

[ID: A female Black-and-white Warbler clinging to the side of a lichen-encrusted tree trunk. She's checking the underside of a brown mushroom on the tree for something to eat. She has a mostly white body, with a thin back eye line and black streaks on her side and wings. End ID]

This little creature is a Black-and-white Warbler. We found her while hiking the New Glarus Woods State Park this past September. Folks think of Warblers as a springtime bird in the Midwest, as that's when they're looking their brightest and boldest as they migrate north for mating season. I appreciate the Black-and-whites like this little lady for being just as striking on their way back south.

I picked up a lifer, folks! We were canoeing along the Mississippi River a couple weeks ago, on a camping trip at Merrick State Park. I was keeping a bird list from the back of the canoe, likely doing less than my fair share of paddling, when I saw a shockingly yellow bird on the shore.

[ID: A pair of Prothonotary Warblers are perched on the same thin branch of a tree. The branch is running vertically across the frame with an adult male clinging to the upper part and a juvenile sitting just below him and looking upward. The male has an incredibly bright yellow head and body. His upper wings and back are green, and his wings change to grey-blue as they extend backward to the primary flight feathers. He has a sharp black beak and a shiny black eye. The juvenile is looking up at the male, mouth open and begging for something to eat. Their body is mostly pale grey, with a few patches of yellow on their throat and sides. They look a bit shaggier compared to the sleek feathers of the adult male. End ID]

I remember exclaiming to my partner, "It's a Warbler! Could that be a Prothonotary?", right before it disappeared into the trees. When she turned around to look, another Warbler appeared in the same spot, but this one was duller yellow. I quietly cursed my lack of a camera (the protection plan explicitly does not cover dropping it into a river), and pulled out my phone to try to pick up any songs. Sure enough, Merlin confirmed the quiet trilling as a Prothonotary! We steered the canoe back around to try for a better look, but they were gone.

[ID: A female Prothonotary Warbler clings to the end of a tiny branch with wispy silk strands on it. She's distinguished from the male by a somewhat duller yellow on her head and back, but otherwise looks very much like her mate. She's collecting what appears to be insect larvae with her bill, which look like tiny grains of white rice. End ID]

Needless to say, I was excited at seeing a new species and lamenting the addition of that same species to my "no pics" list. Later on we were relaxing at the campsite and reading our books when my partner says, "Clay, come here! Is this your bird?! They're chasing each other!" This time I could snatch up my camera before joining her at the edge of the site. And she was right! We had several little Prothonotaries flitting around and peeping at each other. After watching for a few minutes, I realized it was multiple juveniles being fed by their their parents. The kids must have just recently fledged, as they were sitting in very conspicuous places and yelling for food while mom and dad were shuttling tasty bits back and forth.

[ID: An adult male Prothonotary Warbler feeds a juvenile. The same male from the first image is perched on a branch in the sunlight, placing something directly into the mouth of his child. From this angle, the color differences between parent and child are very apparent, with the child looking almost entirely grey on their upper parts, aside from a few streaks of dull green along the back. End ID]

I was feeling incredibly fortunate to get a better look at these energetic birds, but it was tough to keep them in the frame. I found that the kids would generally pick a spot out in the open where they could make lots of noise and be sure their parents could find them. If I stayed on a child, I could be sure that a parent would be returning very soon. I also realized that it wasn't just the fledglings peeping frantically for food. Dad was staying mostly silent while foraging down in the understory, but he would give a few quick peeps after finding something to eat. It felt a lot like he was saying, "I found a bug! Where are you? Come and get it!"

[ID: A juvenile Prothonotary Warbler sits on a branch, waiting for their next bit of food. Their bill is open and wings are slightly extended, fluttering in what must be the universal dance for telling your parent that you're hungry. If you are a small bird, that is. End ID]

I must have spent an hour just following these babies down the little access road for driving up to the campsites, taking tons of photos and watching for brief glimpses of a parent. I moved slowly and calmly so as not to disturb them, but they seemed to go about their business as though I wasn't even there. The kids stuck mostly to the edges of the woods, at eye level or higher, but dad was up in the trees, down in the open grass, and just about anywhere you might find a spider or a gnat. He was often flying within a foot or two of me as he crossed the road in tireless pursuit of his goal.

[ID: A juvenile Prothonotary Warbler poses on a branch, patiently waiting for food this time. The bird is well-lit and sitting in front of a very dark patch of forest, which makes the background look almost black. This juvenile has more dull green on their face and flanks where the others were more grey and yellow, but they have the same shaggy appearance of being just recently fledged. End ID]

Thinking back, the experience was almost surreal. I knew I was walking down a paved road in a sold-out campsite, but I was in this little pocket of existence, watching these devoted parents do everything they could to make sure their children would grow up strong and healthy. For this little family, in the few weeks where this river bank has everything they need, the rest of the world might as well not be there.

Folks, I picked up a lifer just down the street from my house! It was raining a bit on Sunday, so we decided to dig our raincoats out of storage and go hunt for some puddles in need of splashing. Now, I've learned my lesson over the past couple years: never leave home without the binoculars or the camera. And this time I was very glad I grabbed the bins before heading out.

[ID: A Horned Grebe floats on the blue water of Lake Monona. They are facing to the right, showing an impressive profile in the evening sunlight. The Grebe is a small ducklike creature, mostly black with smudges of brown on the flanks and throat. Their head is their most striking feature, black with piercing red eyes. Above and behind each eye a tan stripe radiates backward to create a small crest, the eponymous horns. A thin line of pink skin traces forward from the eye to join with the black dagger of a bill tipped with white. Small beads of water sit on the Grebe's back from their most recent dive below the surface. End ID]

But wait, wasn't it raining at the beginning of this story? It was! We wandered through the neighborhood for a while, mom and kid forging ahead while I lagged behind counting Sparrows and Finches. We made our way down to a park at the edge of Lake Monona. Of course, I had to go out on the dock to check the water for anything interesting. Sure enough, there were a pair of small birds bobbing with the waves, diving down to hunt, and popping back up again. I said to myself, "are those Grebes?" just before I noticed a flash of tan on their heads. Folks, I knew I had never seen a Grebe with tan on it before! I called Caitlin over, handed her the binoculars, and dashed home to grab my camera.

[ID: A Horned Grebe floats on the choppy grey water of Lake Monona. The bird appears to be drenched, but unbothered by the rain. In the low light it's just possible to make out the tan horn on their head and the brownish flank against the black body. End ID]

The above photo is a much more accurate representation of my view from Sunday. The rain began to pick up as I was returning with my camera, but I ignored the poor conditions and set up to shoot anyway. I needed to be sure of the species for my life list! So I got cozy on the downwind side of a nearby tree and started scanning the water for small black birds popping up. I did eventually relocate them, fairly far out on the lake. I was also surprised to see a Common Loon cruise by at a much closer distance.

[A Common Loon floats in profile, partially submerged, on the grey water of Lake Monona. The Loon is almost entirely black, with the white checked back and tapered white neck band characteristic of their breeding plumage. Their gently curved head and knifelike bill are jet black. End ID]

Certainly not the best pictures I've taken, but they were good enough to make a positive ID. For the time being, I would have to be content with this documentation. A couple days later, however, the clouds had passed through and we had just enough time for a walk before dinner. And it was golden hour! Perhaps the Grebes were still around?

[ID: A Horned Grebe floats on the blue water of Lake Monona. The lake is much calmer and the sunlight is reflecting off the wet feathers of the Grebe. End ID]

Not only was the Horned Grebe back at the same dock, it was much closer this time and very cooperative, turning back and forth to make sure I could see their best angles. I sat right down at the end of the dock and snapped away while my kid went looking for sticks to bash on the rocks at the shoreline. It was very peaceful sitting out by the lake, listening to the birdsong, the fitness class at the top of the hill, the captain of the rowing team calling out their orders, my son making up games about climbing the rocks and telling me all the arcane rules he just uncovered. Even the Loon came back around for another cruise.

[ID: A Common Loon floats out in the distance on the blue water of Lake Monona. End ID]

I went birding at Aldo Leopold Nature Center in Monona, WI today. One highlight of the hike was all the American Tree Sparrows foraging in the tall grass around the center. This one in particular was checking me out quite a bit from various perches just off the path. (I could tell it was the same one from that little bit of something stuck to their bill.)

[ID: An American Tree Sparrow clings to a small twig. The Sparrow fills the frame, showing the details of the tan and brown streaks in its wings, broken up by two white wing bars. Its head is mostly gray with a brown eyeline cutting across a dark eye and a ruddy brown cap. It has the characteristic two-tone bill, grey above and yellow below, with a small bit of something black stuck to the lower bill. End ID]

I also got to see two distinct Red-tailed Hawks wheeling around overhead, likely looking for prey. The first one is likely immature, judging from the banded tail without much red in it, while the second one is clearly an adult.

[ID: An immature Red-tailed Hawk soars in an overcast sky. The hawk is mostly while, with brown streaks on the head and breast. the wings have flecks of brown, and the light shining through the wings and tail show thin bars. End ID]

[ID: An adult Red-tailed Hawk flies toward the camera at an angle. The hawk is mostly white with a brown head and brown edges on the outstretched wings. Its yellow legs are hanging down, showing an aluminum leg band on the left one. The tail is fanned and tawny brown, indicating that this is a mature adult. End ID]

There were also lots of Dark-eyed Juncos mixed in with the Tree Sparrows. They were generally more skittish, but I did snag this nice photo of a Junco checking the scene from the top of a bare bush.

[ID: A Dark-eyed Junco sits on a bare twig at the top of a bush, looking just to the left of straight at the camera. It is almost entirely grey, with white underparts and a pale pink beak. End ID]

Now that spring is here, we're starting to see some changes in the local bird population. New faces are starting show up, and even the year-round species are out singing and generally being visible. There's territory to claim and potential mates to attract, after all. But while many species are just arriving or passing through, one that's dear to me is just about ready to depart.

[ID: A male Dark-eyed Junco stands in the newly-revealed grass and dead leaves. Juncos are small birds, about the size of a sparrow. This one is the slate-colored variety, with a dark grey head and upper body, contrasting with bright white underparts. He's facing the camera and looking slightly to the left. His eye is dark brown, nearly black, and his triangular bill is pale pink. End ID]

The Dark-eyed Juncos are strictly winter residents of southern Wisconsin, preferring to nest in Canada, the Northeast US, and parts of Appalachia. This past weekend, I could tell they had migration on their minds.

[ID: Another male Dark-eyed Junco, standing among dead twigs and sunflower seed shells. This one is darker grey in the head and breast, with lighter grey on the wings and a bit of rust color on the back. End ID]

For most of winter it's fairly common to see a solitary Junco or pairs or small groups picking through the snow under the birdfeeders in our backyard. But now they're forming a flock of at least 30 birds, foraging together and singing their loose trilling song. It's as if they know they have a long flight ahead, and every moment of daylight must be spent filling the tank and gathering their compatriots.

[ID: A male Dark-eyed Junco forages in the twigs and leaves for scattered birdseed. Juncos scrape at the ground with both feet simultaneously in a little hop, then inspect the freshly-exposed ground for tasty morsels. This one is mid-scrape, with debris flying around it. End ID]

So I decided to sit on the deck with my camera for a while to bid the Juncos farewell until next winter. I've been scattering seed back there every so often, and the other birds aren't exactly neat or careful when digging through the feeder above. As such, the Juncos have lots to choose from while poking around between the squirrels and the Mourning Doves. Once I sat down, they didn't seem to mind me at all.

[ID: A female Dark-eyed Junco inspects the ground for bits of seed. The females are distinguished from the males by their paler grey upper parts, sometimes with more brown and tan shades mixed with the grey. End ID]

Though, the birds did seem to mind when my kid joined me on the deck, brandishing his bright green snow shovel. They scattered to the trees or the fence and stayed there until I convinced him to put the shovel away in favor of coating the deck boards in a thick layer of sidewalk chalk.

[ID: A female Dark-eyed Junco sits on a wooden fence, waiting patiently for the danger posed by a nearby four-year-old to pass. The wind is catching the white feathers on her left hip and flipping them up like the flounce of a skirt. End ID]

As the sun sank lower in the sky, I figured I better get dinner started. I spent another minute or two listening to the evening birdsong before capping my lens and helping to knock the chalk dust off my kid's coat and pants. This sudden activity caused the Juncos to scatter once again. Have a safe trip little ones. I'll see you when the snow flies.

[ID: A female Dark-eyed Junco stands in the dirt, looking at the camera with head cocked to one side, as though she's wondering what this person finds so interesting about her. End ID]

Not really a question, but I just wanted to say that your photos are awesome! You have a lot of talent, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of it in the future :)

That's really kind of you to say! You can be sure that I won't be quitting photography anytime soon.