Crab apple fruit is not necessarily finger food. I spent some time this fall studying what type of crab apple trees these waxwings tend to frequent. In some cases it was a matter of how ripe the fruit got…the softer the better it seems, but also the size mattered. Too big, and well, you know, … Read more
I’m not normally a fan of foul weather…I’d rather sit at home when things get ugly outside. But I have learned that being out among the eagles when things get kind of rough, can make for some fun photography. These are about as far removed from the blue-bird kind of days people seem to wait … Read more
I’ve been waiting for some appreciable snow for at least the last month. I’ve gotten no sympathy from any friends or family for my unfulfilled wish. Shocking. But today, snow was in the forecast and with high hopes, I went looking for some Cardinals which always get very active with the flurries. But alas, most … Read more
This is just part of the environment for wintering eagles. In some cases they benefit from dams and spillways that produce some rough and turbulent waters. This not only keeps the water open when most of the river gets frozen but it also stuns fish just a bit so the birds have an easier time … Read more
If nothing else, the American Bald Eagle is versatile. They’ll hunt and fish of course…but they may also scavenge now and then. One of their favorite spots to look for a meal is in the backwaters of the Mississippi. These areas are usually more shallow, with little to no current running through them, so they … Read more
One of my favorite birds of the backyard. The Flicker is actually in the woodpecker family and it generally get’s along with everyone, unless you get too close while it’s feeding. Then they can get rough and tumble and I haven’t seen a bird, even a Blue Jay, take it on and win. North America … Read more