The backyard is a busy place…especially when it gets cold. Feeder activity can really pick up and sometimes you get a few birds that don’t play very nice. Starlings are not common, but a few may show up from time to time, and they like to try and bully other birds around. Often it will … Read more
There are few things I enjoy watching more than a Trumpeter Swan taking off from the water. Make it a family affair and it’s an even louder, more orchestrated event. If you live in Iowa, Northern Missouri, or parts of Minnesota, be sure to catch them at a marsh near you in the spring! This … Read more
It always makes me smile when I see a young eagle doing wise things like an older bird might do. Take for instance this youngster…on cold windy days, it hunts from pine trees right at the end of the lock chamber. I suspect some birds don’t like the feel of the pine branches on their … Read more
This immature Sharp-shinned hawk was a recent first-time visitor to the backyard. Well, at least as far as I’m aware anyway. These hawks slip in and slip out so fast sometimes, the only ones keeping count are the other birds back there. They better always notice when one of these comes around…might turn into a … Read more
“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” Leonardo da Vinci
The big question looming in my mind this morning concerns springtime. Will it come early? And yes I’m wondering about this in mid-February. This winter has been unseasonably mild. Sure we had a few cold spells here and there, but overall I haven’t heard too many people complain about it. This week we have a … Read more