Cole's Coles County Nature Journal

Florida Scrub-Jay

2012-02-11T10:53:00.005-06:00

The Florida Scrub-Jay is restricted to the rare oak scrub community of Florida, a habitat under constant threat of development, and is classified as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The birds shown in these pictures were taken in Lee County Florida in an area which future development will surely push them out. This was my first sighting and I felt very lucky knowing that next time they may not be there.

Painted Bunting

2012-01-28T14:12:00.003-06:00

This is the most colorful bird I have ever photographed. Southern Florida is its winter home and it is not always easy to find. I was lucky and spent one afternoon taking pictures and to make things even better I was photographing with professional photographer Lillian Stokes. Check out Stokes Birding blog for more bunting information.

White Morph and Immature

2012-01-16T10:14:00.004-06:00

The top one is an immature Little Blue Heron. The other is the "white morph" of the Reddish Egret in a common hunting pose.These could be easily overlooked for a Great Egret and Snowy Egret.

Red-breasted Merganser

2012-01-16T09:56:00.003-06:00

There were several Mergansers in Tower pond of Ding Darling Sunday morning. These had just finished preening and were shaking water off. My old dog does this after taking a bath or getting wet. Its the same thing but different.

Snail Kite

2011-02-28T19:34:00.006-06:00

A bird of tropical marshlands, the Snail Kite makes it to the United States only in southern and central Florida. This specialized hawk feeds primarily on apple snails. The pictures shown here were taken in a marsh open to the public in the last 3 to 4 years. It is located east of Fort Myers, Fl.

The bird pictured is an adult female. I show it in different positions with wings down and out, perched, lifting from water, and carrying an apple snail.

Green Heron

2011-01-31T20:26:00.003-06:00

I found this guy just standing out in the open on a small stick wating for a fish to swim by. the Green Heron is usually more secretive but in Sanibel birds are just more approachable.

Pelicans

2011-01-31T19:46:00.004-06:00

These two photos show you what a Pelican looks like when he puts down the landing gear. The top photo is a White Pelican. The bottom photos shows you a Brown Pelican. Obviously, the color is different but so is their size, with the White Pelican weighing twice as much and having almost 3' more wingspan.

The White Pelicans feed in groups on small fish. Often seen swimming together, the group drives the fish ahead of them and then they plunge their bills into the water simultanouesly to scoop up the fish. The Brown Pelican flies over the water, scanning for fish. When the bird spots a fish, he

dives likes a kamikazee pilot head first into the water. Pretty neat to watch.

Double-crested Cormorant

2011-01-31T18:53:00.003-06:00

To catch this pin fish, the Double-crested Cormorant dives beneath the surface of the water. He tossed him around for a while then did the unthinkable. He tossed him in the air and swallowed him head first. Now that had to hurt.

Vaux's Swifts

2010-10-06T08:24:00.004-05:00

In September of each year the Vaux's Swifts (pronounced "Vauks") group together in large numbers preparing for their migratory flight to Central America and Venezula. In Northwest Portalnd, Oregon a school house chimney has become their nightly roost. I sat on a hill side with several other people watching thousands of Swifts circling, chirping loudly, and eating insects preparing for their dive into the chimney. Finally someone must signal it is time to descend and as group they funnel their way inside. There are many wonderful things to see and do in the beautiful Northwest this one is a must if you enjoy nature.

Great Egret

2010-01-23T18:41:00.003-06:00

Pictured here is a Great Egret getting his feathers all ruffled which is very appropriate since it is breeding time. He adds a little green by the bill to his all white look. This guy looks pretty handsome and I am sure he has attracted his mate. This picture was also taken at Venice Rookery.

Great Blue Heron

2010-01-23T18:16:00.007-06:00

During the time of courtship and mating, Great Blue Herons often gather in a "rookery" with several other heron pairs. They are the largest of all herons and are seen throughout the United States. Their main food is fish so their habitat must include a water source. The birds pictured here were found in Venice, Florida. Behind a Florida Highway Patrol office building is a small city pond which has an island of Brazilian Pepper bushes. Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Annhigas and other birds have selected this location to nest. The pictures show a male Great Blue Heron bringing in a stick to add to the nest. As part of the courtship, he hands the stick to the female. Also, my sharp eyed partner found this baby heron who was not only very cute but very noisy.

Sanibel 2010

2010-01-09T09:36:00.001-06:00

For over twenty years, my wife and I have headed south to Sanibel Island, FL looking for warm weather and birds. Well we haven't found the warm weather yet but the birds are still here. This is a great place to see and photograph unusual birds. For whatever reason, they are more easily approached which makes taking pictures easier. The immature Bald Eagle was sitting in a tree less than a hundred feet from me and my camera. He perched there (Lighthouse Park at the east end of the island) for over an hour. The Roseate Spoonbill photo was captured at Ding Darling NWR. The bird was feeding and fortunately for me was again less than a hundred feet from me. The first bird pictured is a Limpkin which is a fairly rare bird and to catch it in flight was fun.

Warblers

2009-07-27T15:41:00.005-05:00

I took these warbler pictures in May at Magee Marsh Wildlife Refuge. Pictured top to bottom is Magnolia, Canada, and Bay-breasted Warblers. This is a great place to view and take pictures of birds in the month of May.

Bambi

2009-07-26T22:05:00.002-05:00

My west meadow is presently red clover and today this fawn was eating away (better than my field corn). He paused long enough to have his picture taken. Very cute.

Bucks

2009-07-22T14:00:00.003-05:00

This must be the season for bucks to hang together. I counted 16 bucks in three different groups last night. Also they all seem to like soybean greens because that was what they all were eating.

In one picture the young bucks are nestled up to dad saying please be nice to me during the upcoming rut. The other was a pretty big guy getting ready to charge my camera. Fortunately I was able to dodge him and escape with only minor injuries.

Young Buck

2009-07-21T15:45:00.003-05:00

Last week I caught this young buck in full stride. As I panned the deer the background steaked as if in motion. This is fairly easy to do so give it a try.

Lousiana Waterthrush

2009-07-21T15:37:00.002-05:00

My wife found this little guy feeding below the spillway of the Versailles Lake. Reflection pictures are fun and this one came out pretty good. Just turn your computer screen upside down and you will see what I mean :)

Albino Deer

2009-07-21T15:07:00.003-05:00

For the third year in a row I have managed to photograph the Coles County Albino Deer. Last night in practically the same location as a year ago he came out to graze on soybeans. His stay was brief but I did get several nice shots.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

2009-05-24T18:24:00.004-05:00

A small bird of the deciduous forests, the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is constantly flitting from one branch to another as it searches for small insects. This little guy is also always twitching its tail back and forth. Pictured is a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher leaving its perch and one about to swallow a huge gnat. :) Pictures were taken along boardwalk of Magee Marsh Wildlife Area.

Bay-breasted Warbler

2009-05-24T17:59:00.003-05:00

The Bay-breasted Warbler is closely related to the Blackpoll Warbler and hybrids between the two species are known. The Bay-breasted Warbler is known to also hybridize with Yellow-rumped and Blackburnian Warblers. The Bay-breasted Warbler usually feeds on insects and spiders as well as fruit in the winter. I caught this guy feeding on an insect he had just caught. He swallowed the whole thing. Yummy!

Northern Parula

2009-05-24T17:44:00.003-05:00

The Northern Parula ia a small warbler of the upper tree canopy. During spring migration, I often hear the "ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip" of the Northern Parula but it is very difficult to see as it flits about high in the tree tops. The warbler pictured was in the upper branches of a tree but, luckily, I was also high in an observation tower at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, a wonderful natural area located on Lake Erie near Toledo, Ohio.

Limpkin and Wilson's Snipe

2009-03-21T20:47:00.003-05:00

Pictured are two uncommon birds found at Harms Marsh in SW Florida. The Limpkin is the larger of the two and this was not only the first time I photographed one but also the first time I had actually seen one. An unusual bird of southern swamps and marshes, the Limpkin reaches the northern limits of its breeding range in Florida. There, it feeds almost exclusively on apple snails, which it extracts from their shells with its long bill. Its screaming cry is unmistakable and evocative.

The smaller bird is the Wilson's Snipe. I had seen this bird before but, because of its' secretive behavior, had never gotten a good picture. The Wilson's Snipe has an extremely long bill that it uses to probe in the mud for small invertebrates. Its' camouflage is so good that it often is not seen before it flushes from the grass. The long bill of the Wilson's Snipe is flexible. The tips can be opened and closed with no movement at the base of the bill. Sensory pits at the tip of the bill allow the snipe to feel its prey deep in the mud.

Snail Kite

2009-03-21T20:26:00.004-05:00

I have travelled to SW Florida each winter for over 20 years and have photographed birds in many locations. I thought I was familiar with a wide array of the birds that winter in this part of the state, but to my surprise I learned of a new birding location where I had the possibility of viewing a bird I had never seen. The new site and the bird both proved to be exceptional. The site is known as Harms Marsh and is about 3 mile east of Fort Myers. Shown in these photos is a Snail Kite. In one photo, you see the Snail Kite dining on his favorite meal, snails. A bird of tropical marshlands, the Snail Kite makes it to the United States only in southern Florida. This specialized hawk feeds primarily on snails. This beautiful bird is listed as a Federal and State endangered species because of its small population in the United States and its extreme habitat specialization. Widespread and common in Latin America.

Bald Eagle

2009-02-13T15:59:00.004-06:00

Last Saturday the Aububon Society of Portland (Oregon) hosted a Raptor Road Trip at Sauvie Island. A map was given out at the start which showed 4 locations at which volunteers had set up spotting scopes and located any birds in the area. There were Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, American Kestrels, and much to my delight someone had located a Prairie Falcon. Also there were Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese, and big variety of ducks. I think the thing that impressed me the most was the huge turnout of birders. Many of them brought their children to insure we will have future birders. Pictured here is an immature eagle in flight and having breakfast. There were several eagles in the area and while I was retrieving my camera my son-in-law saw 12 soaring overhead. Awesome!

Roosevelt Elk

2009-02-04T11:31:00.005-06:00

The elk pictured were second only to the bison in numbers before the west was settled. Hunting almost drove this huge animal (male bull can weigh up to 1000 pounds) to extinction. Theodore Roosevelt helped save the elk with hunting restrictions and by starting wildlife refuges where they are protected. Consequently, they were named Roosevelt Elk.
The Roosevelt Elk are different from the Rocky Mountain Elk in several different ways. The Roosevelt Elk have much stockier bodies than the Rocky Mountain Elk. Also, the Roosevelt Elk's antlers are much thinner and the spread between the two antlers is much smaller than their Rocky Mountain counterparts. The reason for this is because the Roosevelt Elk's home turf is heavily forested. It would be difficult to run through these massive forests with antlers that have a very wide spread. While visiting the elk refuge, we were able to hear them vocalize, which is called bugling. It is a truly astonishing sound. We also were able to see the bulls jousting with their antlers. You could hear the clack-clack-clack of the antlers engaging. These jousts were just practice for the real thing during the rut season and were fairly low key but very fun to watch and hear.
The pictures shown here were taken at Jewel Meadows Wildlife Area in northwestern Oregon. There is a herd of 200 to 300 which live there year round. They are fed in the winter months which makes viewing easier. Interestingly, the wildlife area is operated with funds generated from the sale of Oregon hunting licenses and tags.

Mountain Bluebird

2009-01-14T12:09:00.002-06:00

The Mountain Bluebird is most likely to be confused with other bluebirds. Male Mountain Bluebirds lack any reddish coloration on their underparts unlike Eastern and Western Bluebirds. Females are more difficult to separate.
In the winter they sometimes travel in flocks and feed on berries. I happened to catch this guy flying away with a prized Juniper berry. The picture was taken at Bosque del Apache visitor center.

Greater Roadrunner

2009-01-14T11:58:00.003-06:00

The Greater Roadrunner is a signature bird of the desert Southwest. During the 20th century, its range expanded all the way to southern Missouri and western Louisiana. A ground-dwelling cuckoo, it feeds on snakes, scorpions, and any other small animal it can catch and subdue.
The Greater Roadrunner can reach running speeds of 30 km/hr (18.6 mi/hr). It holds its head and tail flat and parallel to the ground when running at its top speed.
To warm up after a cold desert night, a roadrunner will turn its back to the sun, fluff its back feathers, and expose skin along its back. This skin is black in order to absorb more solar energy.
Photographers new to the southwest are always asking where Roadrunners can be found. Luckily I found one and not surprisingly it was crossing the road.

Sandhill Crane Takeoff

2009-01-14T11:51:00.004-06:00

At night Sandhill Cranes stay in shallow ponds. In the early morning they depart and head for the corn fields to feed. As they prepare for flight they start by pointing their heads in the direction of the wind. Shown here is flight preparation, takeoff, and flight.

Sandhill Cranes

2009-01-14T11:40:00.004-06:00

Sandhills are one of two crane species found in North America. The other is the whooping crane, an endangered species, which has been recently reintroduced to Wisconsin. Unlike its' white whooping crane cousin, the sandhill crane is a tall gray bird. It has a huge wingspan of 6-7 feet! While the birds are tall, they only weigh between 8 and 11 pounds. Adults have yellow eyes, black bills, legs and feet, with a bright red patch on the crest of their head. Males and females look nearly alike. In the spring, they actually "paint" their feathers with mud to camouflage themselves in brown grasses. These birds also date back several million years and are highly revered in Asia.
Over 15000 Sandhills call Bosque del Apache their winter home.

Snow Geese

2009-01-11T21:50:00.005-06:00

We are presently in southern New Mexico at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. This is the winter home of tens of thousands of birds. Pictured here are Snow Geese. One picture shows a very large group taken during one of their "blast offs". The noise and sight of thousands of birds lifting off at once is an incredible sight.

Trail camera pictures

2008-12-21T13:28:00.003-06:00

I recently got a trail camera and hung it from a tree in the woods. My first pictures were of a 9 point buck. Even though the quality isn't that of my Canon camera it wasn't that bad either.

2008-11-19T21:29:00.002-06:00

Mount St. Helens is most famous for its catastrophic eruption on May 18, 1980 which was the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States. Fifty-seven people were killed; 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways, and 185 miles of highway were destroyed. The eruption caused a massive debris avalanche, reducing the elevation of the mountain's summit from 9,677 feet to 8,365 feetand replacing it with a mile-wide horseshoe-shaped crater.
The picture shows the side of the volcano and its reflection with a fishman getting ready to cast.

My Favorite

2008-11-08T20:43:00.002-06:00

I have taken a few hundred deer pictures this fall and so far this one is my favorite. I like how he is sandwiched between white oaks and the remains of understory flora are in front of him.

Leaping Buck

2008-11-08T20:37:00.003-06:00

I was lucky to capture this young buck starting to leap and in mid air.

More Big Bucks

2008-11-08T20:27:00.004-06:00

Whitetail deer have over populated in East Central Illinois as they have in many areas of the United States. I remember as boy hardly ever seeing deer and if one photographed in the county it would surely make the front page of the paper. Now during the rut season I drive my four wheeler through the country side and take pictures regularly and since they are very common they never make the front page. Well I take that back I did have one on the front page last year but he was white. Pictured are three bucks I have taken in the last couple of weeks.

Big Antlers

2008-11-08T15:29:00.002-06:00

In the late winter and early spring of the midwest buck white-tail deer lose or shed their antlers and then proceed to grow them back. Shed hunting is very popular and good exercise. Fall shed hunting is a bit more unusual. I found the antlers pictured recently but in this case the old guy shed head and all. I also found the shed to this buck in the spring which I am guessing would be a rarity to find the same shed in one year. If I find his shed next spring I am writing Ripley's.

Big Buck

2008-11-08T10:20:00.003-06:00

The Rut is the period of time when white-tailed deer mate. During the rut (also known as the rutting period), males rub their antlers on trees or shrubs, fight with each other, and pursue estrus females by their scent.The Rut is the time when white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), especially bucks, are more active and less cautious than usual. This makes them easier to hunt, as well as more susceptible to being hit by motor vehicles or in my case easier to photograph. I caught this guy this morning more interested in his mate than me.

One Antler Buck

2008-11-07T11:34:00.002-06:00

This the season when Big Bucks fight to see who is the toughest and gets to breed the Does. This guy apparently lost since he only has one antler.

Common Buckeye

2008-09-21T20:58:00.002-05:00

Pictured is the Common Buckeye. It is thought that the eyespots of the Common Buckeye Butterfly may be used to scare away predators. The Common Buckeye was featured on the 2006 United States Postal Service 24-cent postage stamp.

Viceroy

2008-09-21T20:52:00.003-05:00

The viceroy butterfly is dark orange with black veins. A row of white spots edge its wings. Its color and pattern mimics the monarch butterfly's pattern except for a black horizontal stripe that crosses the bottom of its back wings. The viceroy caterpillar is white and olive-brown. The viceroy and monarch were once thought to exhibit Batesian mimicry where a harmless species mimics a toxic species. Studies conducted in the early 1990's suggest that the viceroy and the monarch are actually examples of Mullerian mimicry where two equally toxic species mimic each other to the benefit of each. Just goes to show you there's always something new to discover in the natural world!
The picture shown is two Viceroys in copula and was taken today in Coles County.

Coyote

2008-09-17T15:11:00.002-05:00

The coyote is a member of the dog family. In size and shape the coyote is like a medium-sized Collie dog, but its tail is round and bushy and is carried straight out below the level of its back.
One of the most adaptable animals in the world, the coyote can change its breeding habits, diet and social dynamics to survive in a wide variety of habitats.
Alone, in pairs or in packs, coyotes maintain their territories by marking them with urine. They also use calls to defend this territory, as well as for strengthening social bonds and general communication. Coyotes can easily leap an 8 foot fence or wall. They have been spotted climbing over a 14 foot cyclone fence.
Environmentalists firmly believe that the coyotes are necessary to preserve the balance of nature. Some sportsmen feel the coyote is responsible for the declines in game species. Biologists agree that individual animals preying on livestock and poultry should be destroyed but that the species as a whole is not necessarily harmful, because much of its diet is made up of destructive rodents. Biologists also agree that coyote populations have no lasting effects on other wildlife populations. So the controversy rages on.

Red-tailed Hawk

2008-09-09T13:25:00.002-05:00

The most common and widespread hawk in North America, the Red-tailed Hawk is a bird of open country. It is frequently seen sitting on utility poles where it watches for rodents in the grass along the roadsides. The hawk pictured is an immature bird and testimony to this was that he let me get quite close before he/she flew. Also notice the tail has not turned red yet.

Albino Deer

2008-08-01T20:49:00.004-05:00

Last year I posted this same deer. He definitely has grown and has added 4 points to his rack. The rack is still covered with velvet and has a pinkish tint. He has moved about a mile from where I saw him last year. He is shown here eating soybeans about a mile south of Charleston.

Indigo Bunting

2008-07-22T13:41:00.002-05:00

The Midwest has been extremely wet this year and even as July comes to an end several farm ponds are still full. I was driving by one today and noticed several Solitary Sandpipers feeding. They apparently were stopping here on their way south. I had taken a couple of pictures when this male Indigo Bunting stopped right in front of me. I quickly fired several shots and off he went. Sometimes you just get lucky...

Scarlet Tanager

2008-07-13T20:50:00.004-05:00

A striking black-winged red bird, the Scarlet Tanager is a common species of the eastern forest interior. Despite its brilliant coloring it is often overlooked because of its rather secretive behavior and its preference for the forest canopy.

In late spring I was using a common call of "psssst" trying to attract warblers. I had seen a birder at Crane Creek a few days prior to this using this call with great success. I had attracted a couple of warblers when this beautiful Scarlet Tanager landed a short distance from me. He stayed long enough for me to snap a couple of shots.

Eastern Kingbirds

2008-07-09T22:22:00.005-05:00

Featured in this picture is a mother Kingbird feeding her recently fledged babies. It also shows babies begging for food. These pictures were taken just west of my house.

Nesting Flycatchers

2008-05-27T21:34:00.005-05:00

In my last blog, I featured Great Crested Flycatchers. The next day, from my back deck, I observed two Great Crested Flycatchers gathering in their beaks large amounts of old leaves which had been mowed and laid under a Shagbark Hickory tree. I watched as they flew over my house and disappeared. They kept coming back and forth and I finally went to other side of the house and located their nesting tree. If you read the last blog you know that they are cavity nesters and, true to form, they were using a large hole in a walnut tree.

Great Crested Flycatcher

2008-05-25T17:28:00.003-05:00

The Great Crested Flycatcher is a bird of the treetops. It spends very little time on the ground, and does not hop or walk. It prefers to fly from place to place on the ground rather than walk. A treetop hunter of deciduous forests and suburban areas, the Great Crested Flycatcher is easier to hear than to see. The only eastern flycatcher that nests in cavities, it often includes snakeskin in the nest lining.

Spring Migration

2008-05-11T20:16:00.007-05:00

Spring migration of birds across North America is a sure sign of spring. Each year birds which have been wintering as far south as South America return to nest and raise their young. Not all the birds seen in the spring stay here in central Illinois, but they do stop,rest,feed and continue as far north as Canada. Several travel at night using the stars to guide them which means that one day they are here and the next they are not. The three birds shown are warblers. The Palm Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler will continue north while the Common Yellowthroat will stay here. This is a great time of year to get out and check the trees. There are amazingly beautiful birds to see. The top photo is the Common Yellowthroat(not at all common!), the middle photo is the Palm Warbler and the bottom photo is the Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Spring Bird Count

2008-05-10T19:06:00.003-05:00

Today was the Illinois Spring bird count. The rules are pretty simple, record each bird you see or hear. We are part of a group which covers Coles County. As of noon today the group had seen 118 species. There were 21 species of warblers with notable sightings Cerulan Warbler, Mourning Warbler, and Hooded Warbler. My wife and I covered our property and saw 63 different species. One of the species pictured is the American Redstart male and female.

Eastern Meadowlark

2008-05-09T15:38:00.002-05:00

The Eastern Meadowlark has a bright yellow breast adorned with a distinct broad black necklace (in the shape of a V), short tails and short rounded wings, white outer tail feathers, long starling-like bills, and brown-streaked backs. Migrating adults arrive in Illinois in March and stay until October or November, flying by day short distances at low altitudes. Eastern Meadowlarks live in grasslands, prairies, hay fields and fallow farm fields, and in row crops. In tall grass they build a cup-like nest of dry grass, horsehair, pine needles, and plant stems. The female lays 2-6 white eggs spotted with reddish-brown. The eggs hatch in about 12 days. The bird pictured is in a small tree but most of the time they will be seen on a fence post or fence.

Eastern Kingbird

2008-05-03T20:09:00.003-05:00

The Eastern Kingbird likes to perch on exposed fences, tree tops or utility poles. It is a highly aggressive bird, even towards birds much larger than itself. They may attack hawks and crows or any bird of this size, perching on the intruder's back and knocking the intruder's head with its' bill. It will vigorously defend its' territory against other Kingbirds. When feeding, the Eastern Kingbird waits on an exposed perch, and flies out to catch insects on the wing. It may also pick food off of vegetation. It is even able to pluck berries from a tree or vine while flying. It returns to the same perch after hunting and sounds a sharp, triumphant call. The bird pictured has just left its' perch and is hovering above its' prey.

Summer Tanager

2008-05-03T13:08:00.002-05:00

A summer resident of Illinois is the Summer Tanager. One might know the Summer Tanager by its alias, the "beebird." Due to its diet of bees, it is a well-known pest around apiaries and is persecuted by beekeepers. They are excellent flycatchers, able to seize adult bees and wasps in mid-flight and take them back to a perch where it beats them against the branch until they die. It then wipes them on the branch to remove the stingers before eating them. One of their favorite foods is wasp larvae and pupae. Summer Tanagers harass or kill the adult wasps guarding the vespiaries. This leaves the wasp nest abandoned and by tearing the paper covering open, the larvae are easily plucked from their homes. Just thought you might want to know.

Prothonotary Warbler

2008-05-03T12:50:00.003-05:00

In East Central Illinois, spring bird migration is at its' peak. We have had at least 12 warbler species on our property in the last two days. The Prothonotary Warbler pictured is a beautiful bird and the only one of the eastern warblers which nest in a cavity. They will nest in Illinois and usually are in a swampy, low area using an old Downy Woodpecker hole.

Lift Off

2008-04-28T21:54:00.003-05:00

Pictured is a Song Sparrow leaving a tree branch. I capture this shot occasionally by either holding the shutter button down for multiple shots or, as happened in this case, there is a time delay from the moment the shutter button is hit and the time the image is recorded. In any case, I like the shot with the light coming through the feathers,the bill pointed straight up and the feet pointing straight down.

Spring Wildflowers

2008-04-28T21:11:00.005-05:00

Spring is a great time of year to get to the nearest woods and look for the explosion of spring wildflowers, mushrooms, and deer sheds. If you find the two I have pictured please give me a call as they would be a rare find for east central Illinois, but I guess after seeing a Black-necked Stilt here yesterday, anything is possible. Someone asked if I take all my own pictures. Well the truth of it is, I don't, my camera does!

Black-necked Stilt

2008-04-28T18:14:00.002-05:00

Sunday I was informed of a rare visitor to Coles County. A pair of Black-necked Stilts had stopped at the Douglas Hart Nature Center wetlands. I was there in the afternoon and only one was left. Truly a very exciting bird to see with its long pinkish legs and needlelike bill. I was told this was the first time these birds had been seen in Coles County.

Varied Thrush

2008-04-27T18:45:00.002-05:00

Pictured is a Varied Thrush taken at Mount Taber in Portland Oregon. I had never seen this bird before and was quite excited to see one. This is a very handsome bird whose numbers seem to be on the decline. A special thanks to my son-in-law who led me to this beautiful spot.

Lighthouse

2008-01-31T14:03:00.000-06:00

One of my very favorite things to do on Sanibel is to go to the lighthouse beach just before the sun comes up. I have never been disappointed. Today was my last visit to the lighthouse this year and I was rewarded with a special treat. Just as the sun broke the horizon a Magnificent Frigatebird appeared. It was riding a gentle thermal and circled between me and the lighthouse. As per usual, my camera was ready and I captured the silhouette of the bird as it passed the light of the Sanibel Lighthouse. That is all from Sanibel until next year.

Birds in Flight

2008-01-28T19:53:00.000-06:00

Undulating back and forth, up and down and doing this without running into each other. Breathtaking to say the least. Featured in this show are Dunlins.

Prairie Warbler

2008-01-28T19:25:00.000-06:00

In Illinois, the prairie state, the Prairie Warbler is a rare visitor. In fact, this bird is not well named because it favors dense second growth and thickets, not open prairie. It is common in Florida and frequents the mangrove swamps. This guy was feeding on little green worms in the mangroves lining the edge of the wildlife drive in Ding Darling NWR. We had never seen a Prairie Warbler so this was quite a treat as she darted from branch to branch.

Wilson's Plover

2008-01-21T21:08:00.000-06:00

In Southwest Florida in the winter months there are four small plovers to be seen. The largest of the four and the one with the biggest bill is the Wilson's Plover. I have never seen this plover on Sanibel Island. The one pictured was taken at Fort Desoto Park.

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

2008-01-21T20:51:00.000-06:00

A nocturnal heron of the southern swamps and coasts, the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron can also be found breeding along wooded streams northward to Indiana and Illinois. Even though I just said this is a nocturnal bird I often see it feeding in the daytime. It moves very slowly along the waters edge looking mostly for crabs. This slow movement makes it fairly easy to photograph.

American Oystercatcher

2008-01-21T20:42:00.000-06:00

The previous post showed an American Oystercatcher with a group of shorebirds. Pictured here are close ups of this very unusual bird.

American Oystercatcher

2008-01-20T13:44:00.001-06:00

Featured in this photo is the American Oystercatcher who has a bright red bill, black head, brown back and white belly. True to its name, it is specialized in feeding on bivalves (oysters, clams, and mussels) and uses its brightly colored bill to get at them. Its habitat is the coastal islands, beaches, and mudflats.

Ducks

2008-01-20T12:03:00.000-06:00

Pictured are a Redhead and Ring-necked Duck. I will let you guess which is which. Well one hint is the Ring-necked has a white ring around its bill, consequently the name ring-necked. Confused? Well the Ring-necked does have a light brown ring around its' neck which is hardly noticeable. We spotted these ducks with others in a pond along the road to Fort Desoto State Park. Located south of St. Petersburg, we found this park to be quite lovely and hopefully we will go again next year and explore it with our grandson Zachary Cole Ezetta.

Bald Eagles

2008-01-18T09:57:00.000-06:00

In August of 2004, Hurricane Charley blew through Southwest Florida destroying many homes. One of the homes destroyed was the tree that housed a Bald Eagles' nest. So, they relocated to an Australian Pine next to the Dairy Queen. The last four years I have intently observed the eagles who would care for their young and do daily house maintenence. This year, however, other tree branches have grown in front of the nest (anyone got a chain saw) and a couple the dead trees on which they used to perch have blown down. Consequently, I haven't been able to see or, more importantly, photograph them - until this morning. They were both sitting together on a dead snag. It was a foggy, misty morning so I gave it my best shot.

American White Pelican

2008-01-17T09:02:00.000-06:00

The White Pelican does not dive for fish as the Brown Pelican does. Instead, it dips its head underwater to scoop up fish. Several pelicans may fish cooperatively, moving into a circle to concentrate fish, and then dipping their heads under simultaneously to catch fish. As they do this they usually attract a crowd of other birds such as Ibis and Egrets which can make for a spectular site. I was lucky to witness such an event yesterday.

Two Spoonbills

2008-01-17T06:46:00.000-06:00

I recently posted pictures of Roseate Spoonbills but I thought this picture showed off their name sake bill from the front, the side, and even the inside. This is truly a very beautiful but a bit prehistoric looking bird.

Osprey

2008-01-16T18:23:00.000-06:00

Osprey were once threatened due to the use of DDT and loss of habitat. DDT has long been banned (in the U.S.)and man has helped provide nesting areas by building platforms. The bird pictured was sitting on a dead snag and I captured the lift off. He has what appears to be a direct bead on me!

Three Skimmers

2008-01-15T21:08:00.000-06:00

I combined three pictures of the same Black Skimmer preparing to lay down. Most Skimmers I have seen stand with their head tucked back against their body to rest, so this guy laying on the sand seemed a bit unusual.

Roseate Spoonbill

2008-01-15T17:39:00.000-06:00

The Roseate Spoonbill is a bird of the Southeastern U.S. coasts. Its pink feathers and spoon shaped bill make it a big attaction to the birders and tourists of Sanibel. Tourists are the ones who call it a Flamingo. In the pictures I took today
I show the bird landing, feeding (it sweeps its' partially open bill back and forth in the water until feels something to eat), preening (cleaning itself), and taking off.

Lighthouse Cafe

2008-01-13T19:47:00.000-06:00

The Lighthouse Cafe, located on the East end of the island, is famous world wide for their great breakfast. Each wall is covered with pictures of different lighthouse pictures that have been given to Mike, the owner, over the years. This year, it was my turn to have my Sanibel Lighthouse picture hung with care in a very prominent location. The picture posted shows the front of the cafe with a very cute young Mother and a very cute young baby looking out the window. They look very happy to be in sunny Sanibel instead of rainy Portland, Oregon. They have enjoyed their breakfast.

Cooper's Hawk

2008-01-13T17:59:00.000-06:00

I was on a bike ride late this afternoon when I spotted this Cooper's Hawk sitting in a tree down by the Lighthouse Park. Of course I wasn't carrying my camera on my bike. Praying that he would hang tight for a little while, I rode home, grabbed my camera and jumped in the car, hoping against hope that he would still be there when I arrived back at the Lighthouse. I was really pleased to see that he was still on his perch and I got a few shots before he flew. Cooper's are hard to distinguish from Sharp-shinned Hawks. The Cooper's Hawk is larger than a Sharp-shinned Hawk and the Cooper's tail is more rounded at the bottom. They prey on mid-sized birds like pigeons, robins and flickers. They also dine on the occasional reptile and small mammal. If the birds at your bird feeder suddenly disperse in a panic, it usually means a Cooper's Hawk has landed nearby.

Snowy Egret

2008-01-13T13:34:00.000-06:00

The Snowy Egret is easily recgonized if you can see its black legs and golden feet. Graceful plumes on head, neck and back are striking and sunlit feathers show off this beautiful bird. This bird was photographed by the fishing pier trying to steal some bait.

Sun Rise over Hood

2008-01-13T09:56:00.000-06:00

My last post reminded of a picture I took several years ago of the Sun rising over Mt. Hood or was it setting. Oh well I thought it made for very interesting photo.

Sun UP

2008-01-12T17:38:00.000-06:00

At the Lighthouse beach every morning a few people gather just to watch the sun come up. It means getting up before the sun (prerequiste) but it is always worth it unless it is cloudy.

Magnificent Frigatebird

2008-01-11T17:28:00.000-06:00

The Magnificent Frigatebird is a long-winged, fork-tailed bird of tropical oceans. It is an agile flier that snatches food off the surface of the ocean and steals food from other birds. It breeds mostly south of the United States, but wanders northward along the coasts during nonbreeding season. This bird was photograghed early this morning flying along the beaches of the Sanibel Lighthouse.

Big Green Lizard

2008-01-11T17:22:00.000-06:00

We were in the Everglades yesterday mostly looking for birds to photo, when we came across this big green lizard. Pretty sure he/she is a not bird. Pretty sure I don't have a clue to what his/her real name is but thought it was neat.

Piping Plover

2008-01-09T14:05:00.000-06:00

The Piping Plover a small shorebird which is on the endangered and threatened list of birds. Its story is similiar to lots of animals were its habitat is being lost, mostly to development along the coast. The bird pictured was taken at Bunche Beach which was saved from developers by the City of Ft. Myers a couple of years ago. Good for them.

Yellow-throated Warbler

2008-01-08T20:45:00.000-06:00

The name fits the bird because he indeed has a yellow throat. During migration, this bird is in Illinois but usually is high in the trees and is heard more often than seen. Well, it's January and I am in Florida and my wife noticed this guy jumping around on a Seagrape next to our driveway. Yellow-thoated Warblers are located mainly in the southeastern United States and fairly common to Florida.

Snowy Egret

2008-01-08T20:23:00.000-06:00

It was warm this afternoon and this Snowy Egret needed a cool drink. I liked the circular ripples the water made as the bird drank.

Black Skimmers

2008-01-07T16:54:00.000-06:00

If you want to see Black Skimmers, and lots of them, go to Bunche Beach. Bunche Beach is located between Sanibel Island and Ft. Myers Beach, FL. I estimated between 300 and 500 in a group today and they were very close to where people sunbathe. Bunche Beach is a public beach. We were extremely pleased when the powers that be prohibited dogs on this beach. Irresponsible dog owners would allow their dogs to run offleash and chase the birds as they fed and rested. This is also great place to view other shore birds feeding out on the sandy flats when the tide is low. Not all the birds pictured are Skimmers. There are also a couple of Terns in the group.

Great Egret

2008-01-06T19:42:00.000-06:00

What do Great Egrets eat? Well, they eat long skinny fish and they eat fat fish. After watching this Great Egret swallow a fat fish whole, you might say he then had a lump in his throat for awhile. Great Egrets were hunted for their beautiful feather plumes in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Their numbers decreased by 95 percent. They are now protected by law and their numbers are stable. The Great Egret is also the symbol of the National Audubon Society.

Black-crowned Night-Heron

2008-01-05T13:05:00.000-06:00

Black-crowned Night-Herons are found in wetland habitat. The ones shown(one is an immature) were taken in Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge. As the name somewhat implies they feed mostly at night and dusk and since they use the same habitat as other herons who feed in the daytime there is less competition for the food. This is not an uncommon bird but is often hard to see in the daytime.

Snowy Plover

2008-01-04T08:45:00.000-06:00

Snowy Plovers feed and nest just above high tide lines. This is also the place people like to walk and sunbathe, so they are competing with humans for habitat and, as usual, the Snowy Plovers are on the losing end. On Sanibel, Snowy Plover breeding areas are marked and protected. The bird pictured was part of a group of six which have stayed in the same general area for the last few years. These birds are very small and blend in beautifully with the sand. Snowy Plovers are really fun to watch as they run about on the beach, looking for food.

Burrowing Owl

2008-01-03T17:21:00.000-06:00

CUTE! This is one word that best describes the Burrowing Owl. They live underground in tunnels which they dig themselves or use burrows dug by prairie dogs, skunks, tortoises, or armadillos. They usually hunt at night but are often seen in the daytime standing near the entrance to their burrow. The birds pictured here were taken in Cape Coral, FL. Their burrows are mostly located in the empty lots of residential neighborhoods. They seem to coexist with man as long as man just leaves them a hole or two to crawl into.

Woodpeckers

2008-01-02T17:41:00.000-06:00

Pictured are a Pileated and a Red-bellied Woodpecker. These birds reside in Illinois but the ones shown here were photographed today on Sanibel Island, Fl. For whatever reason, the birds here are much more approachable than at home in Illinois and I was less than 10 yards away when I took these pictures. Both birds were on the same palm tree. We will be here for a month and I will hopefully post many more photos of the birds here on Sanibel and in the area. Tomorrow, I will be looking for the Burrowing Owls in the neighboring town of Cape Coral.

Northwest

2007-12-16T21:33:00.000-06:00

I just returned from the beautiful Northwest. The road leading into Portland takes you throught the Columbia River Gorge and one picture shows a rainbow which you can see its end. If there had been enough time I would have stopped and got the pot of gold but I had more important things to do. I had a new grandson I had never seen and was down to less than 100 miles of my 2000 mile drive. The other picture shows a snow covered Mt. Hood with Baby Zack and the proud grandfather.

Paving Sixth Street

2007-11-21T14:54:00.000-06:00

I own an Asphalt Paving Company in East Central Illinois. A couple of days ago I photographed the "crew" paving 6th Street with the Court House in the background.
The trees still had some late fall color and with the building color made for neat shot.

Cedar Waxwing

2007-11-04T18:56:00.000-06:00

This weekend we camped at Kettle Moraine State Forest located between Madison and Milwaukee. It was a beautiful late fall weekend with fall colors still vibrant. In the early morning with the frost still on the ground a flock of Cedar Waxwings descended on small fruit bearing bushes. They were fun to watch as they came and went in bunches. At one time I counted over 50 sitting together at the top of a tree. Pictured are 4 leaving for food and one who has already got his/hers.

Eleven Pointer

2007-10-28T19:08:00.000-05:00

I was driving around my property on my four wheeler with my trusty camera at my side when some does popped up along the edge of the woods. I immediately stopped and scanned the area and scanning back was this nice buck not more than 75 feet from me. I slowly pulled up my Canon and hit the shutter halfway to hit autofocus. However, the light was too low for autofocus to work so I had to shift to manual. I fired a couple of quick shots but the shutter speed was slow and since my aperture was wide open my only choice was to speed the ISO to 1600. This was better. I just hoped that the pictures wouldn't be to grainy but as you can see they really aren't that bad.

White Tails and White Deer

2007-10-25T06:49:00.000-05:00

In the Fall in East Central Illinois male deer become more visible as they start their prerut. In an earlier blog I posted a picture of an Albino Deer. This post shows the same deer playing with some of his friends.

Rarely Seen Birds

2007-10-10T15:25:00.000-05:00

Pictured are three birds rarely seen in Coles County. That being said they are not rare. First is the Yellow-billed Cuckoo feeding on a wooly worm. They are often heard but usually hide in the tree tops. Note the Eastern Phoebe coming in to check out the worm. Second is the female Summer Tanager. Tanagers are summer migrants and we are on their northern range. They are bee and wasp eaters and the one pictured had just taken a bee from a Hummingbird feeder on my deck. In fact I took the picture from inside my house through a window with a portrait lens. Last is the Eurasian-Collared Dove. This is an introduced species and was first seen in Florida in the early 80's. Since then it has been migrating north and just recently was seen in Coles County Illinois. I first saw them about a week ago. What impact this will have on native doves is yet to be seen. My advice is if you see one go ahead and shoot it.

Scenic Northwest

2007-09-13T10:38:00.000-05:00

The Northwest landscape is quite different than central Illinois and there are plenty of photo opportunities. Pictured are the Grand Tetons reflecting in Jackson Lake, Old Faithful in Yellowstone, and Mt. Hood the highest peak in Oregon. My dad always said there was nothing prettier than the corn fields of Illinois but now I am not sure.

Albino Deer

2007-08-30T21:45:00.001-05:00

Last year, I heard that there was an albino fawn on the east edge of Charleston. I had heard it even visited the local Walmart parking lot. I never saw it last year but rumors started again a couple of weeks ago that it was being seen and had grown some antlers. I talked to a land owner who had seen it and said it would often appear in the evenings to graze on the soybeans. This evening I went with a friend to the field. We waited and low and behold the albino deer and seven other deer appeared.(These weren't albinos). The sun had set but there was just enough light to capture a few shots. Also, after looking closely the deer isn't an albino but a white deer. To be an albino, its' eyes would be pink among other things.

American Bittern

2007-08-20T13:38:00.000-05:00

The American Bittern is unique from other herons because, when approached, it stands still with its' head upwards, sometimes swaying back and forth imitating a waving reed. I had just finished photographing a Peregrine Falcon when I came across this American Bittern. I was having a good morning to say the least. This photograph was taken at Ridgefield NWR.

Peregrine Falcon

2007-08-20T13:21:00.000-05:00

The Peregrine Falcon shown was photographed at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is located north of Portland, Oregon in Washington State close to the Columbia River. We are in Oregon visiting our daughter and son-in-law. Sunday, we went to Ridgefield and were treated with several different species of birds, but the highlightof the day was the Peregrine Falcon who kept its perch at a fairly close distance making it easy for viewing and photographing.

Two Reflections

2007-07-23T06:54:00.000-05:00

Pictured is the famous Sanibel Lighthouse located at the east end of Sanibel Island, Florida. Also pictured is a bird I often hear called a "flamingo" but in reality is a Roseate Spoonbill, a beautiful bird with a unique bill and feeding habits. Reflections make for fun photographs and getting both the lighthouse and spoonbill in one shot was a real challenge.

Common Nighthawk

2007-07-05T20:53:00.000-05:00

Common Nighthawks historically nests on the ground in grasslands and in open patches of soil or gravel. Today they commonly nest on gravel roads or flat roofs with a gravel cover. The bird shown chose on old parking lot with apparently low traffic volume. They usually lay two eggs which hatch in about 18 days.The female broods the young birds for about fifteen days protecting it from the sun and weather. Notice the young bird in front of the mother and how well he/she blends in with the loose rocks. Common Nighthawks are not hawks and they hunt mostly insects in both the day and night.