Goose Lake Walk

I grabbed my buddy Pam for a walk in Goose Lake yesterday. The day was perfect and I had not been shooting anything because of the rainy weather lately. My choice of Goose Lake was in hopes of finding the Sandhill Cranes I have not seen, only heard, before they migrate out of here. (We did not see/hear them)



Our walk was unproductive. We saw a few goldfinches and swallows, but that was about it for small birds.




The wildflowers blanketed the prairie, but the familiar birds have dissappeared.




There were masses of butterflies. (ID help?)



Dragonflies and grasshoppers were plentiful too.

Oh well, it was a gorgeous day for a walk...

Meet Big Jewel

I've said alot about hummers lately and want to introduce "Big Jewel", the dominant male for this week at my feeder. He is a juvy, since his ruby throat is not yet fully developed. It seems the adult males have already moved on, so sentry duty has been taken over by this guy, guarding the feeder from other hummers, claiming it as his territory. I call him "Big Jewel" because from a distance, you get quite a big shine from his throat, compared to the other juvy males with throats not so rubified, if that is a word.



Here he is at an angle which does not show the metallic shine on his gorget (throat).



Time is ticking as the hummer migration has started. I hope to have them for a few more weeks, but the temperature around here has fallen...

Cheery Day

Who doesn't like sunflowers? I just love em... I line my fence bordering my yard with them because of how they look against the weathered wood grain.



The sunflowers attract many things, like Butterflies, Bees, and Goldfinches. The finches just can't get enough of them and neither can I!

Backyard Hummer Encounters

My newest photography obsession is trying to capture the hummingbirds coming to the feeder while it is being handheld. I have 6 hummers in total, which should make for frequent visits, but there are other feeders next door, so when I attempt this trick, it seems the only good time is at dusk when they are filling up for the night before bedtime and hit all the feeders in the area.

My partner-in-crime Becky is attempting to lure in the hummer above. This is the only shot I have, but the feeding attempts have been successful all weekend. The experience is something like this: First thing you hear and feel is the "hum". It's like a tornado in your ear and at first you are startled, because you don't see them coming. Usually, they inspect you first, so staying still is absolutely required, which is a tall order with all the excitement, let me tell you! So, you are standing there, being as still as possible, and they hover so close, that you feel the wind on your face, and you are not all that sure of exactly where they are until you focus on this lil thing within a few inches of your head. After inspection, it will decide if it is dangerous to take a drink. If you are still enough, it will land cautiously. The vibration is now on your fingers as you are holding the feeder, and the hummers wings are still in motion. If you are lucky enough, you are face to face with it and realize just how small this creature is with it's big eyes looking back at you... It is truly amazing!

Most hummers that actually come in for a drink are juvies who are inexperienced and take the risk.

Happy Labor Day!

I didn't really have an appropriate post, like a squirrel lounging on an adirondack chair sipping a Corona with lime on the beach, or a Fox basking in the sun's rays with a bottle of suntan lotion and a pair of Ray Bans , but I did find a juvy Cedar Waxwing taking flight like he just needed to scram, and that's the way I feel. No post tomorrow, because, you know, it's Labor Day--Geez!

I hope you all enjoy your Labor Day!

Goose Lake Odds N Ends

This windmill was just erected this past month. It will serve as a waterpump to keep the nearby lake from drying up. The covered wagon adds some nostagia to this prairie.







This female Red-winged Blackbird was glowing in the morning light.







I haven't seen the Common Snipe since May, so hearing their call as a flock scattered to another wet area was really cool. I wasn't sure of what the strange noises were until I checked my camera display alittle closer.








The Solitary Sandpiper was a first for me. It's a species commonly found at Goose Lake (along with the Henslow Sparrow).

Indigo Buntings

I heard a rumor of Blue Grosbeaks in a certain township, on a certain road, etc. etc...

Well I went, having never seen Blue Grosbeaks, so driving the distance could be worth the effort, since I was semi-close to the area anyway, spending some hospital time with my Dad who had knee replacement surgery. (he's recouping well)

I did find some ummm... blue ummm... birds. Indigo Buntings to be specific. Not a bad find, but...not Grosbeaks...



The problem was, it wasn't the most pleasant of areas. I wasn't scared really, not in the "Deliverance" sense, but in the...well o.k. maybe slightly in the "Deliverance" sense without the deep woods of Kentucky. Not only that, but the gravel roads could and did swallow your car. You could definately enter and never exit...ever...And, it seems to be the hotspot for large trash. Why not throw your broken washer, dryer, tires, toilets, etc. on the side of a road, what could it harm? Umm, besides giving other "trash" the idea of making a deposit, how about West Nile among many diseases that cause people/birds harm?...Just a thought...



I will not be back unless a report of Blue Pterodactyls are in the area, but the Indigos made it productive and I did see a few Eastern Towhees. Not a complete loss, and... I got out alive, pending test results...