Sandhill Crane Week 24

11/28/16

Sandhill Crane Two adults and the 24 week old juvenile forage in the small prairie area next to Tiedeman's Pond.

Sandhill Crane The juvenile is bigger than either parent, so it may well be a male. Its crown is changing color.

Sandhill Crane All three are more alert than in the past, not for any one thing in particular. Maybe it's the migration thrill ramping up.

Sandhill Crane As always one generally is studying the surroundings when the other two are busy with their heads down.

Sandhill Crane Even the juvenile has guard duty now.

Sandhill Crane Looking off over the pond at a few Canada Geese endlessly yakking away as they like doing.

Sandhill Crane Something over there interesting to more than one for the moment.

Sandhill Crane With such a thoughtful stare and scrutiny, it makes you wonder what's going on in its head.

Sandhill Crane When heads are down it's easy to tell what the thoughts of the moment are.

Sandhill Crane Now the gaze wanders to the nearby hiking trail busy with talking people and their dogs. They might be thinking about handouts from one house.

Sandhill Crane A lot of natural foraging in the muck of the marshy area and retaining ponds. Crossing in a row to the opposite side.

Sandhill Crane The juvenile veers off to the right as the two adults ascend the bank.

Sandhill Crane A few swivels and concentrated glares from the juvenile, but nothing edible flickers below the dark surface.

Sandhill Crane The juvenile followed its parents, but turned at the edge of the small pond for one last look. No luck.

Sandhill Crane Breaking the always on watch rule, the adult supposed to be on sentry instead does a bit of grooming.

Sandhill Crane After that they head down in the bubbling mud at the edge of Tiedeman's Pond itself.

Sandhill Crane This is where the long legs come in handy. They waded in almost up to their bellies before returning.

Sandhill Crane More hunting, but not much going on in the food pantry.

Sandhill Crane More people passing require more stares to be sure it's still safe.

Sandhill Crane Now they spend much more of their time studying what's way off there than foraging, even more so than in the summer.

Sandhill Crane Off for another try at the edge of Tiedeman's Pond.

Sandhill Crane That lasted for only a minute. Then all headed back toward the building just north of the little park on the west side.

Sandhill Crane The juvenile led the way onto the gravel path.

Sandhill Crane Pausing at the new textures, they studied things a bit before crossing toward the condos nearby.

Sandhill Crane The juvenile still has a white toe nail that it had all summer, so that hasn't changed yet, if it will?

Sandhill Crane Maybe go back to the pond. There might be overlooked prey there. Nope

Sandhill Crane The juvenile approaches a bird bath to see if it might have good water or not.

Sandhill Crane Yes. Then in for a drink at the bird bath at a convenient height for a young crane. Within a few weeks they'll be in New Mexico or Texas and the juvenile will be on its own not too many weeks after that. The next phase in its life...

© Michael Bailey All Rights Reserved; Not for reproduction.
No photograph from this blog may be reproduced or used
in any form or by any means whatsover.

White-crowned Sparrow

10/27/16

White-crowned Sparrow An adult male foraging in the gravel.

White-crowned Sparrow A female or first year male.

Cedar Waxwing Still with breast streaking, a juvenile grooms itself.

Cedar Waxwing And there is only one precious berry left.

Chipping Sparrow Small and shy.

Downy Woodpecker A female scooting up and down the bark in search of insects.

Easter Bluebird Being very shy and hiding in the shadows, yet talking now and then to reveal itself.

Great Blue Heron Slowly, slowly stalking the water while fishing for small golden carp.

Great Blue Heron In the morning sunlight, a time out on a perch overlooking a perch overlooking Stricker's Pond.

Hermit Thrush Dogwood berries, a favorite for many, slowly disappearing over the days.

Nashville Warbler A large warbler, just passing through on the way to a winter home far south outside this country.

Pied-billed Grebe Sometimes seen with a companion or two, but for some reason usually alone.

Red-breasted Nuthatch This year an unusual number of these tiny nuthatches have invaded the area, delighting homes with birdfeeders.

Red-tailed Hawk After a very brief pause on a perch at Owen Park in Madison, a take-off to look for prey in a better spot.

Red-winged Blackbird This is my territory and I'm singing to let everyone know.

white-breasted Nuthatch Working a dead tree while talking with its distinctive grunts.

Wood Duck A female by herself as their numbers decline during their fall migration south.

Yellow-rumped Warbler One of the last warblers of the fall.

© Michael Bailey All Rights Reserved; Not for reproduction.
No photograph from this blog may be reproduced or used
in any form or by any means whatsover.

Brown Creeper

10/15/16

Brown Creeper Doing its spiral up the tree, lit on the side by sunlight, before starting again at the base of another tree.

Brown Creeper Sometimes it is just straight up for a segment before doing the wrap-around.

Red-eyed Vireo Lurking in the thick leaves of an Ash Tree as it hunts bugs.

Swamp Sparrow Rich brown colors and a tendency to hide in the low grass and bushes.

White-crowned Sparrow Large, with a distinctive black and white striped crown, it forages in short grass and gravel.

White-crowned Sparrow Interesting smudge patterns on the back of its crown and neck. Fat pin stripes.

White-throated Sparrow White throat, patches of yellow behind the bill, and a definite need to hide in bushes.

White-throated Sparrow But sometimes in moving from one hiding place to another it pauses out in the open for a good look.

Black-capped Chickadee Working on a tiny piece of food snared from a bird feeder below.

Chipping Sparrow Though everyone chips, this one has a very distinctive sound, yet it's often silent.

Eastern Bluebird Off on its own, just born this year, maybe wondering what the urge to go south is.

Eastern Phoebee Though at a quick glance, it may seem nondescript, it has subtle colors with a light yellow on its breast, unlike the monotonous squawk of its song.

Great Blue Heron Powering its way across Stricker's Pond in the dim light before sunrise.

Gray Catbird For a shy bird, they talk a lot, and in great variety. Always elegant in shades of gray.

Gray Catbird Thinking about the Dogwood berries, while its rusty brown rump peaks through other feathers.

Lincoln's Sparrow Small and usually hidden behind twigs and grass when it thinks it's being watched.

Lincoln's Sparrow Prairie grass glowing behind, sumac in front, it shows off its distinctly patterned vest.

Northern Cardinal In the process of mashing a berry in its powerful bill.

Ring-billed Gull With a silent, floating flight, they often sneak past unseen unless they happen to call.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Even smaller than a wren, they sometimes burst out in a melodious quick song as cute as they look.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Very flitty, it tilts its head briefly to show off its ruby namesake before flitting off and away.

Red-tailed Hawk Perched briefly, hoping for a stray rabbit below, and soon off as none were careless at the moment.

Sedge Wren A chatter and partial song as it does its constant hide and peek with everything.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker A bit of red showing on its crown as it calls and works on a tree before trying another.

© Michael Bailey All Rights Reserved; Not for reproduction.
No photograph from this blog may be reproduced or used
in any form or by any means whatsover.