A Good and Grainy Day Nuking It!

Nothing too fancy today, but I wanted to show that you can even have a good day when it's a bit overcast and gloomy.

I was disappointed when I got off work yesterday, as the skies were blanketed in a thick cloud layer. It's been that way for a few days now, and it's building up a frustration in me. I haven't been on a "good" shoot in a while, so every cloudy day adds up. This day had just enough light to tease... So, I set my course despite the less-than-perfect conditions because I have been checking on a few sights that have chicks yet to be born. As I am doing that, I notice a lot of seagull activity near the "nuke plant" lake shore.

I see plenty of Caspian Terns, a rogue American White Pelican and a few Great Blue Herons in a matter of minutes. My hopes increase...

The local birding hotline has had sightings of a Laughing Gull at this location, so I sit in the parking lot for a few minutes. A few Caspian Terns go by, and as I follow their route, I see a great place to park my behind and wait for them to come to me. As I am trailing a tern, a shadow from above hints at a flyover I didn't see coming, and as I look, I see it's the (notorious) Laughing Gull. Damn! I am walking and my hands are full with my camera, water, phone, and monopod! Oh well, I can wait him out when I get to my spot. I get set up and wait, and as I am waiting, a few photo ops go by and I take a few close up fly by shots.






A few fishermen walk by, we chat about the crappy weather, and I lose my vantage point with their arrival. The gulls shy away even farther down the shore, so I end up calling it a day. I never did see the Laughing Gull again, but today looks promising, weather-wise...

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.

As The World Terns - Episode 3

I know, I know...I've posted about these guys twice already...and to make matters alittle less interesting, it seems to be every 10 days that I cover them. I can't help it, it's pretty slim pickins out there right now, so bear with me on my final episode of this drama series. It's the season finale if you will...



Heckle and Jeckle!





Check out my new ankle bracelet!




Where's my food!




Smooth landing!

Caspian Terns

The Terns were here at Braidwood Lake in big numbers on monday. I didn't officially count them, because I don't officially count anything or keep track of bird counts...







But...if I had to guess, I would say around 40, give or take...








I love hearing the sound that they make...It's quite raw and obnoxious...Once heard, you will never forget the sound, and smile at it's familiarity the next season, when they first arrive...







The juvies wait for their parents to bring back fish, while they wait on shore...







WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP ALL BIRDS: Never leave fishing lines, lures, or hooks on beaches and shorelines; entanglement kills numerous terns each year.

Don't dump garbage or fishing bait which feeds predatory gulls.

It's My Tern...

I've posted alot about Goose Lake Prairie lately, so I am mixing it up by featuring Braidwood Lake. The Terns are back! Caspian Terns are the main migraters, but some birders have seen a few Foresters too.



As large as a big gull, the Caspian Tern is the largest tern in the world. Its large coral red bill makes it one of the most easily identified terns throughout its worldwide range.



Call a raspy "kowk." Juvenile begging call a high pitched whistling; heard frequently during migration and in winter.



Flies over water with bill pointing down; plunges into water to catch fish.



Source: All About Birds