Today's surprise

Ron, Andy and I went out to lunch today.  On our way home, Andy called from the back seat to turn around and go back to the building we had just passed. We quickly turned around and look what we found.

This pair of Turkey Vultures.  Because of the way they were acting we believe it was a male and a female.  

They are up by windows of this building.  When we turned around, we saw that the building was for rent, so no one was even there to watch them from the inside.  We could see their reflections in the windows, we wondered if they could see it too.

They stayed right there on the ledge, preening.

When the one on the left would move sideways, the one of the right would move too.
They stayed right there.  We looked around for a nest, but did not see anything.  It was just so weird to see them on the side of that building.

Told Andy, good find!

Ponds by our house

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Northern Rough-winged swallow

Stretching his wings

Mallards on the pond.

Northern Shoveler, male

Female Green-winged Teal

Male and Female Shoveler.

Daffodils in our yard.

My orchids. This is one of the ones that was given to me my my Dad passed away in 2012.

The newest one I bought in 2014 at Hausermans.

This is one orchid that has re-bloomed on it's own.

Another one that I have purchased and has bloomed on it's own.

Spring is coming to Blackwell Forest Preserve

The usual first of spring birds are arriving. The grackles, cowbirds, red-winged black birds.

At the front of the subdivision where we live, we have a sitting goose.

More swallows.

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe

Ring-necked duck, male

Ring-necked Duck

Male and female ring-necked duck

Snow Goose

Snow Goose, with a Canadian Goose
There was this one snow goose, with 14 Canadian geese.

Eight American Coot were at the lake in Blackwell Forest Preserve.

Saw a Killdeer by the entrance to our subdivision. 

Meadowlark

The miniature iris in our front garden.

Our daffodils have begun to bloom.

Nelson Lake

Saw my first Meadowlark this year. 

This new camera is great.  I am liking what I can do with it.

Norther Flicker, not a great picture. It is nice to be able to see pictures of the birds.

American Coot

Blue-winged teal

I think a robin was going to try to build a nest behind one of our lamps.

While I was in Racine!

Got to do a little birding while I was in Racine, Wisconsin on a quilt retreat.  When I stopped at the Lighthouse, I spotted a Northern Flicker.

One the golf course property that had bird houses. I came across these Tree Swallows.  They were so pretty. Love their blue color.

There were more crocus blooming up north then at home.
Spring!!!

At the Jelly Belly factory in Pleasant Prairie is a pond.  There were 14 Red-breasted Merganser's.  It is fun to watch then dive for their food.

Cedar-waxed wing,  

Another sparrow.

Share my excitement

Ron and I have been noticing this nest.  We thought may be it was in use, as we had wondered what would build one that appeared so big.

Friday, I finally decided to check it out.  I had driven by it earlier and it sure did look like something was in it.

Imagine my surprise to see a Great Horned Owl. This is a cropped photo, as I wasn't sure.
I was in awe.  I have not seen an owl in the wild before.  I found out by reading my books, that owls will take over a previously owned nest.  This could have been hawk, or a crows nest in a previous time.

What an amazing find.

Lesser Yellow-legs in a huge puddle by our house.

The first goldfinch of the spring.

A killdeer in the same area as the lesser yellowlegs.

Blue-winged teal

My little corner of the world.

Have a great week.
Mary