Brewster's Warbler

Even though these photos are in unfavorable conditions, I was so thrilled to capture at least an image of the Brewster's Warbler, which is a first-ever for me. A Brewster's is a hybrid of the Blue-winged and the Golden-winged Warbler. Hopefully there will be another photo op for this little buzzer in my future.

Prothonotary Warbler

This weekend was the weekend we all wait for. The Warblers arrived and I happened to be in the right spot for their welcoming home party. The most cooperative Warbler was the Prothonotary. He stayed in a small area, hopping from dead log to dead log. The rest of the Warblers made their rounds, and eventually came into view throughout the weekend.

Warbler Weekend! Woo-Hoo!

It was the weekend I have been waiting for...

This posts photos were all taken in one spot. It was an amazing weekend with the birds coming to me for once. I stayed for hours each day, giving way for new-to-me species every day!

Great-crested Flycatcher-First ever!










Yellow-rumped Warbler-There had to be hundreds...







Hooded Warbler-First ever!









Palm Warbler- Notice the pavement. There were a flock of Palms and Yellow-rumps all over the road at my secret location.









Yellow-throated Warbler-First ever!







Louisiana Waterthrush-First ever!







Female Yellow-rumped Warbler








Black and White Warbler








Gray Catbird-FOY







Snapping Turtle-Just plain cool!


Another warbler I did not include in this post is the Prothonotary Warbler which was a complete thrill! I have so many photos that I am proud of, that I am saving it for tomorrow's post.

Birds I saw, but did not photo: Balt. Oriole, Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, Indigo Bunting, Kinglet.

An Afternoon with Woodies!

Even though the lighting wasn't right, my shutter speed wasn't right, and these pictures show the lack of both, I had a great time yesterday, spending some observation time with some woodies. You don't get that chance every day, especially in a car on the side of the road, as they avoid most intrusions, but this couple, even though, very hesitant, reluctantly dabbled along this fluddle, keeping an eye on the big gray monster. If only everything was perfect, but that almost never happens does it...






She is not as drab as one might think!

I Could Hear Him Singing for Miles

If you catch a Brown Thrasher out in the open, it MUST be singing! I did just that and was amazed at his collection of songs! At first I thought I heard a FOY Catbird, but then I spotted him high in a tree singing his little heart out!

Female Bluebird

A close encounter with a female Bluebird.




I never did see the male, but appreciated her beauty just the same...

Oh, Poo Poo on Me!

I happened across this leucistic Red-tailed Hawk on Saturday, whom I've shot many times and just can't seem to pass by, especially when he is perched pretty close.





So I am firing away, when all of a sudden, he seemed to be wanting to tell me something as he lifts his tail and ...





Well you get the picture, he didn't want his picture taken anymore, so he sent me a farewell gift and flew off! It was quite rude...but very funny!

Potpourri

To my surprise, these Caspian Terns made a stopover in the corn stubble near a cooling lake. I didn't expect their arrival so early.



I've photographed this Barred Owl many times, but who can resist when he chooses another roosting branch over his favorites.



This Eastern Meadowlark was singing just outside my drivers side window. His song stopped suddenly as I pulled beside him, but he did not flush.



The Northern Flickers are everywhere I go, digging for tasty morsels, but this one didn't mind his picture being taken.

Name Appropriate

Hmmm...A tree full of swallows...Weird...Maybe they should be named Tree Swallows...Oh wait, they already are.

Serenity

On this day, I jumped out of my car as I spotted these Mute Swans swimming this inlet at my local State Park. Pretty cool siting...



As I was leaving the park, I see a family of about 5 fishing along the shore. What captured my attention, and to my great dismay, was seeing a teenage girl pull up what I think is a bb gun, and take shots at a duck, which happened to be a Pied-billed Grebe, but she wouldn't know that, or care, for that matter. What I did next, was grab the local number of the police and describe what I saw. They were going to send someone out, but my regret was that I didn't handle it myself. I should have done more and confronted the family, as I was not only worried for the grebe, but what would stop this family from shooting at the swans? The law was obviously a very gray area, and meant for "other" people. Teaching family values and abiding by mother nature doesn't apply either. I was completely outraged at such a sight, and couldn't stop thinking about what the mother and father were teaching their children. I hope they were fined, but I will never know. Next time, and I hope there isn't one, I, personally, have something to say...

Flock of Shovelers

A flock of Northern Shovelers, Blue-winged Teals, and a lone Wood Duck have been calling a flooded out cornfield home.



Their aerial display was really cool to see. They flushed as I approached with my car, but turned around pretty quickly for these shots. I didn't even notice the wood duck until processing.

I Love Woodies

Every Spring brings another quest to capture wood ducks a little closer than the previous year, as my luck with these guys is weak. I've had a few encounters that were indeed pretty close this year, topping last years success by many feet, ultimately vying for that perfect portrait I see in my mind.



The stories I've told over the years on this very blog about how my attempts have brought nothing but sarcasm, to even this weekend, when Cutti & I successfully flushed every single wood duck in the woods without snapping a single photo, and ending our hike with a triumphant "Mission Accomplished" as we left! (Our only purpose for going to this particular park was wood ducks)



Luckily, as I was driving through my regular route on my way home from work, I spotted this wood duck just off the country road.



The lighting was nice, but the shadows drew this elusive guy in for safety. I did get a few decent shots before he got away.

Shrek, is that you?

Is there any North American bird species that can even come close to this magnificent plumage? Not in my opinion! This is the first time I have been able to capture the horns, which reminded me of Shrek, minus the ugly.






I have never seen more beautiful tufts!



What a beautiful bird!

Breathing Room

Hi Bloggy Buddies, it's me Hannibal! I know... I've been out of the loop for quite a while but I have a list of excuses! New puppy duties, magazine deadline duties, broken camera lens sickness, new computer systems to learn, etc, etc...

But now that I am back into the swing of things and my favorite lens has been put back into my hands...

I bring to you...

Snipes! (Thanks to Rattlin Antler for the snipe location tip!)