Calling All Potential Mates!

On a trip to Kankakee State Park this weekend, the sound of music was being sung right outside the window of my car. (It's a trill sound which isn't all that beautiful, but he sure was...) I spotted a Chipping Sparrow, with its head held high, singing his song for all the pretty ladies to hear. He sang the whole time I shot him, and I left him to his courting...





His back was to the wind causing his feathers to blow forward, giving him a really cute appeal!
(Click on photo to enlarge, the size of this photo for posting doesn't do it justice.)



Note: I have plenty of pictures from this weekend to sort through. Expect plenty of posts this week!

Friday Potpourri

I am hoping the weekend will bring plenty of photos to share on Monday. The weather looks good & my schedule is clear, so now its about luck. Will I choose the right spot? I always question that. My prospects are: Pileated Woodpecker, Wood ducks, Beaver, Bluebirds, Pine Squirrels, Black Squirrels, Kingfisher...Wish me luck!


This photo should have been included in the last post. This male mallard went flying after a female he found attractive.





I knew this photo would be dark, but I liked it, as far as squirrel shots go.





I discovered this tree bordering a creek a few years ago, with only a few heron nests at that time. Since then, the neighborhood has grown quite a bit!











And finally... A muskrat getting a drink of water at the edge of the beaver pond.

It's Been a Slow Week...

I've taken a few opportunities this past week to get some nature in, but the rain, wind, and temperatures have kept me indoors more than out. Here is what I found on a trip to Gebhard Woods:

Squirrels are usually my "default" when not a whole lot is happening. If you can't find much, the squirrels will do...





I barely saw this little fella. I happened to hear a bird in this tree, and there he was...





The Nuthatches were beeping all over, but were not cooperative. I was lucky to find him before he found me.





The Brown Creepers were plentiful too...





The battle for mates was in full force as I watched 2 drakes chase the pour female mallard until exhaustion. Eventually she took flight, but so did the drakes, so her escape plan was void.

Amazing E-Mails

I have never posted "mass e-mails" before, so... maybe you have had these e-mails already circulated to you, but when I received these, I filed them for future posting & just had to "forward" them here!

The location was unknown, but how amazing it would be to see an albino moose.




The photographer travels the world photographing animals and is well known. Had just returned from a long trip when he spotted these adorable little guys in his backyard.




There was no story to go with this photo, but can you imagine finding these guys under your trampoline?

NOTE: I can only hope that these photos are real, but with the magic of photoshop, anything is possible...

Cuttidad's Showcase

Sometimes the weather is against you, and this week I have not been able to get out. The rain has soaked Northern Illinois for days, so... to post something fresh, I am spotlighting Cuttidad, my partner in crime. She is co-pilot on some of my excursions, & when opportunity arises on her side of the car, I hand her my camera:


Black Squirrels seem to be popping up, in otherwise, gray and fox squirrel territory at Kankakee State Park. I have run into a few of them farther east a bit, but now it seems they are migrating their way west...




Black Squirrels are smaller than your typical fox squirrel. We found this guy playing with a pine squirrel, but couldn't capture them together.




There were Mallards in a large puddle one day, and Cutti really loved how the males head was reflecting the light, so she took some shots.




I talked her into getting down to their level and snapping off a few for a different perspective...




I was really impressed with this one! Cutti is the perfect "buddy" when going on a long adventure. She is just as excited as you are, and even though she doesn't normally look through a camera lens, she appreciates everything she sees, and sometimes takes video. She loves to talk about what we saw that particular day, and asks lots of questions about their behavior. I am beginning to want to take her everywhere, even though I am usually a "Lone Photographer". It is exciting to watch someone else be so curious and excited...

Wordless Wednesday-Where's the Creep?

(Click on photo to find the Brown Creeper)

Tuesday's Potpourri

Todays post is a bunch of random offerings from the past week of shooting. The recent days have been gorgeous, but I haven't found any GREAT photo op's, so I offer these:


I don't know what type of ground squirrel this is, but to give the size some perspective, it is about a 1/4 larger than a 13 stripe ground squirrel. Answer given by Richard over @ At The Water: Pine Squirrel, Red Squirrel or Chickaree!





I also asked-"Can anyone I.D. this squirrel for me?" -and the response I got was from Richard who thought it was a Pine Squirrel, or sometimes called a Chickaree, or Red Squirrel. My preference is Chickaree cuz its fun to say...





Blue Winged Teal - My only shot of the Blue Wing revealed.





I hid behind a tree for way too long in an awkward position, waiting for them to come closer. They swam within 50 feet, and my body was glad they left. (They never saw me, so it was worth the pain)





It was an overcast day, but despite the gloom, I found some cooperative Cedar Waxwings.





Normally, cedars are not people birds, and will not stay for the photo shoot, but these guys were pretty social, and I walked away without disturbance.





I witnessed the courtship of the Hairy Woodpeckers, as 3 of them were competing for mates. They were weaving and bobbing their heads...