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

Teal and Herons.

About a week ago on my way home I saw some ducks on a big puddle of water, by where we live. Had to check it out.
There were 8 ducks, both males and females.

When I got home I checked it out and found we had Blue-winged Teal. This was the first time I had ever seen them.
This is another lifer for me.

Heron nests along the Fox River.

We have about 12 nesting pairs of Herons.  It is quite a sight to see.

Mary

Baby it's still cold outside

This robin was snuggled up against this post.  It was cold outside.
After a beautiful week, of warmth and sun, we got more snow on Monday. Will it ever turn to spring?

Looks like our cardinals are going to stick around.  Two pair have been here all winter, and are still sticking around..I hope they decide to nest here.

First time we have had an Eastern Towhee here.  I think it is just passing through.  I saw him for two days, then did not see him today.

Look what else showed up, Northern Flicker. He was digging around under the bird feeders.

Still not sure about this little fellow.

There is actually a pair of flickers.  We are up to 3 days they have been here.

Down at the park in Oswego Tuesday, I came across this sight.  Swallows flying low along the Fox River.
There was an area not far from where I was sitting, that I noticed the swallows.  I had read about a lot of swallows were sighted in Aurora. Don't know if they were heading north or south.  

They just seemed to stay in the area for quite a while.
Looks like the weather is going to warm up.  We can only hope.  Spring has been long in coming.
I do have daffodils and some miniature iris blooming.

Mary

Along the Fox

Birds are in migration mode.  Golden-eyed, and bufflehead, males and females.  From what I have read, some of these birds have been around, I just had not found them.
I try to take pictures of each bird for my identification.  Unfortunately, not all pictures turn out good enough for me to even use for identification.
I do record my observations on ebird.org.  It is interesting to see where other birders go to observe birds. I am trying to record the different places I go, which is including when I have been to the Caribbean, and other states.  I have so far identified 117 birds, and 71 of those are in the continental USA.
It is a great way to get exercise too!

Not a great shot, but cormorants on the Fox River.

We have seen these nests, but did not know what bird may have built them.  Now we know.  We have a small colony of Blue Herons that are nesting along the Fox.  

Cardinal.  Now this is an easy bird to identify.
I have a few places I keep going back to, to observe what may be new.
Have also been expanding my search area.  There are a lot of Forest Reserves in the counties around us.  Some of the counties provide brochures of where the reserves, and lakes are located.
One Sunday, recently, I got a 3 mile walk in.  When you are looking for birds, you don't always realize how far you have traveled.
Obviously I am new at this, but have learned a lot already.  Who knew!
Mary
 

Coopers Hawk is a regular visitor

This coopers is a regular visitor to our yard.  On this day he caught a sparrow and proceed to feed on it until it was all gone.

There really was no trace of it left when he finally left.

I think he knew we were watching it, as he turned toward us as we looked out the window.

On another day, he came to sit in one of our trees, surveying the area.

There are a lot of small birds that live in the pine trees directly behind where he is sitting.
No one was coming out to visit the feeders.
All the other bird must know when he is around.

I have watch, and have found he will sit in the tree or on the fence behind our property for at least half an hour.
Some days he is do a low fly by along the back. of the yard.
He is amazing to watch.
I think beside the red-tailed hawk, the coopers is the only one I am destined to see.

Spring is coming

Muskrat was working and getting ready for spring.

Cormorants arrived back in March. Surely spring is coming.

Here is the cream colored mallard female.  This time she is farther south on the Fox River.

 

I was so surprised to see all of these cormorants on the Fox in downtown Oswego.

The grackles have arrived too.

And the red-winged blackbirds.  The yard can get pretty noisy some mornings.