Great Blue Heron

Tufted Titmouse Eating a peanut from a feeder while always on the alert for danger.

Gray Catbird High and out in the open for a change to survey for both intruders and dangers.

Eastern Phoebe Though full-grown, sitting and waiting for a parent to come and feed it.

Great Blue Heron From the force of a just-completed wing downbeat a spreading circle around it's shadow on the pond surface.

Great Blue Heron Wings straight out as it continues across the pond to find a perch in the trees at the edge of the water.

Great Blue Heron The scenic view at Stricker's Pond

Wood Duck Late season three young Wood Ducks clustered with their mother, always cautious of every intruder.

Yellow Warbler A beautiful yellow warbler bright against the shadowy willow leaves.

Downy Woodpecker A female searching a skinny branch, with a companion inches away.

Downy Woodpecker The companion. A male, also tap-tap searching for insects.

Eastern Bluebird Worm ready and only a short hop below to feed youngsters waiting in the birdhouse.

House Wren Curious, talkative, and a bit aggressive, quiet for a split second or two.

Cedar Waxwing Striking with colors and crest, particularly the red tips on the ends of the wings

Ruby-throated Hummingbird A female hovering to feed on sugar water.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird A more relaxed sit and drink technique, but only for a few seconds, aeons in hummingbird time.

White-tailed Deer Down in the pond to munch on water lilies.

Indigo Bunting A brilliant slash of color against the dew-covered grass.

Indigo Bunting And equally brilliant against the forest canopy and sky.

Purple Coneflower Dizzying in detail and a bit overwhelming in color.

House Wren Perched quietly while partly hidden in the twigs and grass.

Eastern Kingbird As high as possible to scan the prairie, ready to chase off any interloper.

© 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.

Sandhill Crane Start Week 6

Sandhill Crane At the start of week six, the wings and tail feathers are definitely growing into real feathers, pushing off the down.

Sandhill Crane The stride casually covers a couple of feet, but on the run can span up to several feet at a time.

Sandhill Crane Part of the daily routine are a huge number of naps. Another is about to start.

Sandhill Crane The mandatory guard parent is also drowsy, but takes the opportunity of the pause to do a bit of careful grooming.

Sandhill Crane Out of character in the daytime, a parent lays down to rest. Of course the juvenile gets up soon after that.

Sandhill Crane A tired adult nods off, head swaying back and forth it starts to doze.

Sandhill Crane Up again, waking the parent. The other parent stands nearby, doing the real guard duty.

Sandhill Crane Finally up for another feeding stint, the juvenile goes through a few wing stretches to limber up.

Sandhill Crane It spends a fair amount of time running from parent to parent when they offer morsels of food.

Sandhill Crane This one looks like a live hornet.

Sandhill Crane Synchronized strolling and eating.

Sandhill Crane The almost independent juvenile leads the way.

Sandhill Crane Lift off. Some vigorous flapping and a little jump and it gets off the ground a few inches.

Sandhill Crane More flapping while attached to the earth. The vanishing down feathers on the ends of the flight feathers are quite visible.

Sandhill Crane Tucking the wings back in.

Sandhill Crane More food from a dutiful parent.

Sandhill Crane The base of a tree in the shade proves interesting for awhile.

Sandhill Crane Silhouette of the day.

© 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.

Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat Early morning wing cleanings in the bright sunlight. Right wing first.

Common Yellowthroat On top of the right wing.

Common Yellowthroat A good stretch out, like a traffic signal. Go this way, not the other.

American Robin Two sat quietly grooming themselves in the gravel until one suddenly decided a dive bombing was in order.

American Goldfinch Perched in the thistles while looking for seeds, probably for nesting, if not food.

House Wren Squatter in an house intended for another species.

Indigo Bunting High on a bare branch as it sings loudly away.

Eastern Bluebird A simple and elegant beauty, along with a equally quiet call and pristine song.

Eastern Kingbird On the lookout for trouble as it usually allows no other birds in its territory. None at all.

Great Crested Flycatcher Everywhere, yet often not seen as they prefer the high canopy of the tree tops.

Gray Catbird Giving out one of its namesake meowing calls.

Eastern Meadowlark This one was doing its chatter, but seemed to believe it was performing a good Meadowlark song.

Sandhill Crane One of two parents and a colt foraging a small prairie.

Sandhill Crane One adult hung back where it thought the hunting had to be better, though it let out a bugle and soon followed.

Sandhill Crane One adult and the youngster.

Sandhill Crane The youngster alone. When it laid down to rest, the parents stoppped to stand guard, highly protective as ever.

Cliff Swallow An old barn in use as a cliff for dozens, if not hundreds of swallows.

Cliff Swallow Most of the swallows here are juveniles, flitting in and out with the sublime grace of all swallows.

© 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.