Tuliptree Blossom with Guest
Another Day at Work
Apis Workers' Party
Predator
Some of Your Beeswax
Sedum Bumbler
Look of Defiance
Chicory Bee
Bumbling Bees
Garden Cafe
Buzz By Here - To Infinity and Beyond
Pick Your Poison
Blind Side Attack
On a Mission
Honey Bee on Sedum
Covering the Cosmos
Center of the Cosmos
Three's a Crowd
Popular Spot
On A Pedestal
Big Harry Fireworks Display
To Impress the Girl
Different Perspective
Sweet Ride
Perfect Little Piggies B&W
Flipping the Light Fantastic
Festival of Flights
To the Crowd's Delight
Amish Go Round
Wondersome One
The Stars In Her Eyes
Tuesday's Child
Sleeper Hold
Considering the Next Move
Sugar and Spice
Front Porch Portrait
Caged Competitor
Early Adoration
Child In the Ligtht
Stroll Through the Weeds
Attention Grabbing
Eye Contact
On the Line
Eyes of Wonder
Rounding the Curve
Troubadours of Basin Spring Park
Down by the Creek
Sun Day
Catching Some Light
EAA Fireworks
Hear Me Roar
Birds
Yellow Rumped Warbler (female)
The earliest signs of spring are finally emerging. This is when we see the greatest variety of birds in our yard – as they pass through on their migratory journey.
This is the first year I remember seeing Yellow Rumped Warblers. We have three or four of them hanging around the yard the last few days. I first noticed a male, with its striking, bright yellow patches and stripe down the middle of its head. They get their name from a yellow patch on their rump, usually difficult to see when their wings are folded.
I haven’t gotten a good shot of the male…yet. This is a female. There are a few more gals flitting around, so it was easier to get a decent shot. Even this shot could be sharper and had to be cropped quite a bit.
To view a larger image, click on the photo.
White Crowned Sparrow
This is my White Crowned Sparrow friend. I call him my friend because he seemed to like hanging around with me.
I was at the Algoma marina photographing the lighthouse and sunrise when I noticed something moving along the ground. It turned out to be this sparrow. I made note of him and went about my business, moving along the marina wall to get various shots. It seemed, no matter where I moved, this white crowned sparrow was never more than a few feet away; always skittering along the ground.
Needless to say, I turned my camera in his direction a few times that morning. I’ve been back to the marina many times since, but haven’t seen my friend or his like again. (You can view another photo of this bird posted previously HERE)
To view a larger version of this photo, click on it.
Stylin Duck
This duck wasn’t content to be photographed in a normal duck squat. She wanted to show off one of her more stylish features.
This wasn’t a momentary stretch. I have several frames of her posing like this. She wasn’t warming herself in the sun either, because the skies were overcast. She is standing on the edge of a small waterfall at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay, WI.
To get a better view, click on the image and another window will open in your browser with a larger version.
Goldfinch on Lookout
An male American Goldfinch looks over the surroundings, comfortably perched on a purple thistle.
This particular bird had a staring role in a couple of earlier posts – Fan Dancer and Watchful Eye. He was not particularly shy and allowed me to get closer than most birds will. I was grateful.
To get a larger view (provided you have a large size monitor), click on the photo.
American Goldfinch Portrait
Isn’t she a beauty. This is a female American Goldfinch. She was kind enough to pose for this portrait on the suet feeder. She cam decked out in her Sunday best, winter plumage; not a feather out of place. I’m sure it was a cold day.
This is a photo I pulled up from the archives. It was taken a few years ago using my old Kodak Easyshare DX75909. For a simple camera (compared to what I use today), it did some exceptional work.
To get a better look, click on the photo for a larger version.
White Crowned Sparrow
This white crowned sparrow was an unexpected surprise.
While taking photos of a sunrise at the marina in Algoma, Wisconsin, I noticed some movement on the ground. Each time I would change position, this little bird would flit along the ground…but never far.
Eventually, I turned the camera his way. He seemed cooperative, allowing me to move within 10 feet for shots like this.
Fan Dancer
This was an American Goldfinch that I found by the marina in Algoma, Wisconsin. He was feasting on the thistles growing near the water’s edge; pulling out the white tufts and munching on the seeds. As you can see, thistle seeds are light and airy and tend to float with the breeze.
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Watchful Eye
Here’s a little touch of nature for you. I stopped to take some photos around the harbor at Algoma, Wisconsin. It wasn’t a foggy day elsewhere, but conditions were right to create a foggy area around the piers and lighthouse. I took a few photos (some I’ll be posting later) of the pier and a fisherman in the fog, and the lighthouse and boats.
As I finished and headed back to my vehicle, I noticed a few wildflowers growing near the water. I stopped to take a few random shots. Then I noticed a few bees – always a favorite photographic subject of mine – so I stopped to take a few photos of them. Then, as I started to leave again, I noticed a flash of yellow. An American Goldfinch landed in a nearby patch of thistles to enjoy a meal. It didn’t seem bothered by my presence, so I started taking photos. (Some I’ll post later.)
While concentrating on the Goldfinch, I happened to notice a bee in the foreground and refocused on the bee for awhile…as the bird continued to feast in the background.
The one thing I don’t like about this image (and others in the batch) is the background. I think it looks unnatural and fake. The background is simply the water of the harbor. I would have preferred something that had a little more color variation, instead of the flat blue, but I wasn’t able to change my position to create a different look. The thistles were only a foot or two from the water and I was shooting from a position higher than the bird.
If you’d like to see a larger version, just click on the photo.
This photo, and another cropped version, is available for sale. To see pricing, click on the blue bar below.
Father Son Brunch
This is a father and son pair of Eastern Bluebirds. The son hatched this spring. The father seems to be eyeing the son’s table manners as he downs another mealworm.
We’ve been providing a small amount of mealworms for the bluebirds every morning. Every morning, I wake up the loud singing of male bluebird.
To see a larger version of this image, click on it.
Whiskers
This American Robin was working frantically to fill her beak with grass. I thought it made a comical site. Obviously, somewhere there was a nest to be built.
According to Wikipedia, the American Robin “…is one of the earliest bird species to lay eggs, beginning to breed shortly after returning to its summer range from its winter range. Its nest consists of long coarse grass, twigs, paper, and feathers, and is smeared with mud and often cushioned with grass or other soft materials.”
Though one of the earliset to build its nests, this robin was gathering nesting material at the end of June. Maybe it was starting its second effort of the season.
To view a larger version of this image, simply click on the photo.