Today's bird is a Killdeer. I usually see them in the Spring but this year I have spotted them at various times, or heard them, all year. This photo is an older one taken in the Spring They get their name because their call sounds like they are saying that.
I was out on a bike ride this past week by Milford Lake. There were some Egrets and Cormorants in the lagoon area that I was able to capture. I usually see Egrets here but the Cormorants are usually in a different area so it was a nice surprise to see the 2 together. There had originally been a Heron as well but, as is typical, it flew off. The Egrets don't seem to be so skittish.
While I was in Minnesota last month, I was able to get a few bird images. This is a Wood Duck not looking quite as beautiful as some photos I have seen but still fairly colorful.
While out for a walk in the early evening one day I was able to get this image. There was a Red Shoulder Hawk sitting on a power line and it stayed as I walked past so the setting sun would light it better. It lost it's tolerance for me and flew off the wire but I was able to capture it as it did.
I was on a walk recently near a pond where I have been lucky to see a Heron every now and then and have been able to get fairly decent photos too which is rather rare. It had flown from the opposite end but I was able to catch here before it flew off.
I was in Minnesota recently and while driving I saw quite a number of Swans. I was able to capture these 2 on the way back from dinner one evening.
Today's image is an older one I was able to get of a red Tail Hawk. This image really shows off how to identify them. They are easiest to identify when in flight because you can see the distinctive bars on the wings.
While I have been out on bike rides lately I have seen a couple of neat birds. One is a lifer that I have yet to capture, Quail. The other is this, a Nighthawk. These I usually only saw out on Konza Prairie but they seem to frequent a farm filed I ride by fairly often. I got this capture a couple of weeks ago. They are fairly distinctive because of the white marks on their wings and also the noise they make while diving after prey.
A bit different image today. This is a view of the field in Minnesota with the Sandhill Cranes. Even this doesn't really do it justice as this is only about 1/3 to 1/4th of the flock that was there. It was so cool to be able to see and photograph them.
I had to make a trip to Minnesota this past weekend for a family issue and on the trip up I was treated to an experience that was a "lifer" for me. I got to see and capture a very large flock of Sandhill Cranes! They were in a harvested wheat field and some were even dancing and doing their odd call. This is a link to their call at All About Birds: Sandhill Crane Listen This image is just a very small portion of the flock.
While I was in New Mexico waiting on a train, I had a wonderful experience. I got to see an owl in the wild up close! It was so cool. It sat there for a bit so I could get several pictures of it before it decided to fly away. I believe it is a Flammulated Owl and they feed mainly on insects. They usually are in Pine or Fir trees so are hard to spot but this one happened to be sitting in an Aspen tree. It was very cool to see it.
I was out in Colorado and New Mexico for a special event that the Cumbres & Toltec Railroad was holding. While waiting for a train in Sublette, New Mexico I saw this little Chipmunk running around and captured this image of it while it posed on the rail.
I like being able to see these guys. I usually can find them in the cooler months hanging out on the gravel road that I bike ride on fairly consistently. On this particular day, I found and captured one on a road by the high school. This is a Horned Lark and you can see the feathers that give it that name.
Today's bird is one that I captured back in late May and never posted. From what I can tell, it is an Osprey. They are not usually in mt area so guessing it was just passing through. The plumage is of a juvenile supposedly. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
I was able to get this photo of a Dickcissel on a bike ride a few weeks ago and then totally forgot about it till I was getting ready to back up my photo folders. It was stretching while singing.
Today's image is a bit different. I was at an event at the Sunset Zoo in Manhattan Kansas on a fairly hot evening. The zoo's mission is to inspire conservation. For being a small zoo, the animals seem to have fairly large areas to be in which I thought was good. I was able to get this image of a Tiger lounging in the grass, a lot of the animals were inside in the a/c.
When I was in Minnesota a few weeks ago, I was lucky to have some opportunities for some bird images. I even got to see and photograph a Bald Eagle fairly close.
While I was in Minnesota, I had the opportunity to see and photograph a Loon that was pretty close to me. It was very cool to see and didn't seem very bothered by me as it stayed fairly close. I was taking photos from my vehicle so that probably helped. Loons have a very distinct call and it is cool to hear. It is the state bird of Minnesota.
I have been lucky to get some nice and closer Heron images lately. This one was at a pond in the neighborhood right behind my house. I decided to stop by with all the rain we have been getting to see if one was around and there was. It was on the bank right near me and then flew to some rocks that were not very far away. I was amazed and got off a few shots before it took off from there of which this is one.
Due to all the rain we have been having, I actually went for a walk recently instead of bike riding. I was walking under a power line that a Mississippi Kite was sitting on. We looked at each other but it did not fly off which was rather surprising so I was able to get this image.
