Tag Archives: Wildlife

Beavers, Eagles, and the Predator

December 3, 2022 Troy

Friday after Thanksgiving brought a beautiful fall day with the sun shining, warming temperatures, and calm winds all combining to decay the recently fallen snow. I had to get out and go exploring even though I didn’t really expect to see anything as is common late in the day this time of year. While getting my photo gear ready, I noticed another person quickly walking towards a lessor used trail carrying binoculars. His direction suggested he was heading to the same location I planned to visit. Now debating on still heading to my intended spot or pursuing a new direction, I chose to keep going where I’d planned. Getting on the trail, there was only a couple of hours of daylight left so not much time to explore signs of wildlife and also get to a spot for the sunset. There were a few high clouds in the sky which had the potential for a colorful end to the day making it my main subject of this outing.

Arriving to a small stream where water leaves a little pond, there was the gentleman I had seen leaving the parking lot. He was scanning the horizon on this nice afternoon in search of wildlife moving in the open woods. About to pass him without a word, I looked over and decided to say hello mentioning what a treat it was to be out there taking in the suns warmth. He responded and a conversation ensued.

As we were talking about the area we were in and sharing stories of our adventures in this park, I noticed something moving out on the recently formed ice. He quickly brought up his binoculars and said they appeared to be otters. Setting up my camera, I focused on this moving area and saw the two small creatures walking together along the ice. Watching them for a few minutes I noticed they moved slightly different than otters. Then they turned a little and I noticed the wide, flat tail confirming they were not otters but beavers out for an afternoon walk. Could they be out enjoying a warm afternoon reprieve from the cold also? After watching for a few minutes, a visitor joined them .

At first I thought it was a crow looking for a scrap or two from these beavers when my new acquaintance mentioned it was an Eagle. Looking closer I could now see it was a juvenile Eagle. Another Eagle quickly circled overhead coming near the beavers and nudging the young Eagle further from these furry critters. This Eagle was an obvious adult with the signature white head and tail. Was there something there on the ice that these animals were interested in? Eagles and Beavers didn’t really seem like likely companions. We continued to closely watch the interactions to try and figure what may be happening.

The adult Eagle began scolding the younger bird almost like it was chasing it away from these beavers. Was it protecting them? There was no aggression towards the mammals as they stayed almost motionless while these two Eagles were figuring out what they were going to do.

With the juvenile Eagle now further away, the beavers continued on their journey down the ice, passing by the adult bird with a bit of a nod almost as if saying good afternoon or thank you. There was no act of aggression by either animal towards the other. Such a strange and interesting encounter to witness. What was the purpose of these eagles circling and landing near this pair of beavers. Were they planning on attaching for a meal and once they were on the ice decided this was not going to be a successful battle? If you’ve ever been close enough to a beaver to see their teeth, you understand how much of a weapon those can be. One well placed chomp will leave any creature missing a limb.

For some unknown reason, the beavers stopped walking, turned around and started heading back towards the Eagle still on the lookout. This seemed very strange to me. Why did they decide to turn around and head back towards where they came from? Soon this pair of beavers again passed the adult Eagle enroute to the area they started from. I’ve never witnessed something like this before and continued watching until the Eagle left and the beavers were out of sight. Puzzled I began to wonder and just accept this unlikely interaction while searching for a spot to enjoy the nearing sunset. Something to research at a later time.

With the beavers out of sight and the Eagles now back in the air, I settled into my spot to wait for the sunset. Scanning over the landscape, I noticed another animal entering the sheet of ice. Expecting it was probably a deer coming out beginning its search for food, I brought up the camera once again. I’ve seen plenty of deer in this area and thought I would just watch this creature explore the cattails while taking in the last moments of sunshine. Focusing in on this animal as it was meandering near the cattail filled shoreline, I realized it was not a deer but a coyote. This is the exact area the beavers were heading. Could it be possible that the Eagles were warning these two wanderers of danger heading this way? Do animals work together to protect one another like this? What benefit would Eagles have to save beavers from a larger predator? Had the coyote manage to capture one of these beavers, the Eagles may have had an opportunity to snag a portion of this meal. Maybe it was all just a coincidence but my feeling is it was something more.

Typically a warm, late fall day is pretty quiet with wildlife relaxing and basking in the warmth, but this turned out to be an active afternoon out on the newly iced over lake. The sun was now at the horizon providing a beautiful end to this afternoon in the park with a colorful sky. Eventually I convinced myself to pack up and find my way through the woods to my car as the light continued to dim making my path difficult to follow. Leaving the park, the clouds hung on to the pinks and reds refusing to concede to the night sky. A great way to spend one of the last warm days of the year.

migration, spring, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Spring Duck Migration is Underway

April 30, 2022 Troy

It was one of the few nice days so far this spring. There was a lot to do at home but my camera kept whispering my name. Ignoring it at first, I continued on with my list of things to do but as the day continued, the call became louder and louder. Admitting I had not really used the camera much in awhile, I finally decided to accept the continual suggestions and head out to an area park. Knowing it would probably be busy as many people wanted to get out and enjoy the beautiful day, I thought through where I would go. After much thinking, I decided on a park a little further away hoping the ice would now be off some of the smaller ponds and wildlife would be starting to make their way north.

Pulling into the county park I had chosen, the parking lot was surprisingly open. There were several vehicles there but people were returning from their hikes and leaving. This should turn out to be a quieter adventure than I was expecting which would be nice. Now parked I switched my shoes to warmer boots since I was expecting to sit in one location for some time and the ground was still cold. Grabbing my backpack holding the camera gear and some warmer clothing should it be needed along with some food, I began my hike to the pond. Along the way I decided to travel through a small forest in search of mushrooms. They weren’t showing a week ago and today was no different. One more stop to the prairie along the way to check for Pasque Flowers. They were beginning to grow now and would be in full bloom soon. Now on to the edge of the pond which I could see the ice was gone and ducks littered the surface.

Meandering through trees at the edge of the pond I found a nice spot to perch in between two larger trees. The camera was set upon my tripod and I was ready. With all of this activity the ducks had moved to the farther end of the pond but I knew they would be back in time. Trying to remain mostly still I just sat and observed these waterfowl for awhile. Eventually they began to venture back to where I was sitting gathering food for their journey to their northern nesting grounds. Ring-necked ducks were the first to work their way closer and I expected to see these here as I’ve seen them a number of times in years past. Mixed in with them were a few Buffleheads which I wasn’t really expecting but happy to see. A couple of Pied-billed Grebes swam back and forth. While trying to capture a few images of them, a Ring-neck pheasant took off from right in front of me. I had no idea he was even there. How could I have missed it? What was even more surprising was it stayed that close to me for nearly an hour before scrambling to the air. That’s not typical for a pheasant. Of course there were the expected Wood ducks and even a few coots. As the sunlight was began to fade, a Sandhill Crane decided to land at the edge of this pond, probably for the night.

I had enjoyed this afternoon out photographing wildlife but the sun was now at the horizon and with it, my light for shooting wildlife. Packing up I was hoping to witness a colorful sunset. I climbed to the top of a nearby hill and watched as the sun continued to dip under the horizon. There wasn’t much of a show except for one small area in the landscape and I wasn’t in a good place to photograph it. Beginning my hike back to the car, the clouds on the opposite horizon began to produce a soft, pink glow. A beautiful way to mark the end of this wildlife adventure.

While walking I began to wonder if the owl I had photographed in this area a few times last year was back. There was no sign if it on this trip. I returned to the car now anticipating the warmth of the engine. Cold had started to return to the air with a stronger breeze pushing it through my clothes. With a slight shiver I began drive home with a smile having enjoyed an increasingly rare afternoon in a park.

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

A Spring Afternoon Surprise

June 21, 2020 Troy

After completing some tasks around the house for much of the weekend I needed to get out to an area park and enjoy the sun’s warmth. A few days earlier I had found the first native orchids to bloom at one park. Now I wanted to locate it at my favorite park to go for some nearby solitude. A place I’ve spent hundreds of hours exploring. My plan was to hike some of the spots that seemed most likely for the Showy Orchis to grow. These would take a little bit to get to as they are over a mile away from the parking lot through the woods. It was ok as I had set aside the entire afternoon to conduct my search. After a few hours of looking without success, something moved just ahead of me. I was looking towards the ground off to one side and only caught this motion out of the corner of my eye. My mind registered something dark about the size of a cat. It was late afternoon and I was trying to figure out what would be moving this time of day at that size. Logically it must have been a squirrel which went up the tree appearing larger than it is. Returning to my search for this orchid I dismissed that movement as nothing unique. I was now on a lesser used trail which I discovered several years ago one late fall afternoon. Continuing forward on this little trail I noticed a patch of newly emerged grass which appeared to have been matted down and somewhat brown. That seemed strange for this time of year. Taking a few more steps I once again noticed movement but this time I saw what created it moving away from me. A PUP!

Soon after I saw it, it saw me and took off towards the other pups. It seemed unsure though of what I was. And then there was another walking on the trail right towards me. Fortunately my camera was out and ready now for a quick shot before this one also decided to take off. As I looked around I realized I was right in the middle of their den. My next action was to scan the surroundings for their mother. Coyotes typically will stay hidden unless their pups are in danger and here I was so close to their playground. While I didn’t see a full size coyote, I kept listening for any off sound while watching these pups scatter back and forth. What to do? I could find a nice spot and set up for possibly some better pictures as the pups would likely return in time or I could find an exit and continue on my search for orchids. I decided to move up near a log close by and wait for a little while. A couple of pups did come back and started to play briefly. They scattered again and I decided it was time to return to my hunt. After looking around I found the direction I wanted to escape from to try and reduce my impact on this place for these coyotes. I started walking in one direction and there was a pup right in front of me. I turned to go another way and there was another laying under a shrub. It seemed I couldn’t get out of their place without causing a disturbance. Finally I made it away after waiting a few times for the pups to find their way without me scaring them too much.

Finally I was back on the hunt for wild orchids in an area I haven’t spent much time in. About an hour after discoveries these pups I decided to take a rest and grab a little water. There was a nice log for me to sit on and set my gear next to while I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the woods. I was looking around to see the surroundings and what’s growing nearby when something caught my attention up the hill from me. Watching closely in the direction of the sound I soon saw an adult coyote. That seems weird for this time of day I thought. I was now quite far away from the den I found earlier. Wow, multiple coyotes in a single day? After thinking about this for a few minutes I realized what most likely happened. One of the parents had been stalking me for this entire time. Over an hour I was being followed. The only reason I saw it was because I stopped making noise for a long enough time causing it to search in the last spot it heard me. I was quite impressed with how nonchalantly it walked through the woods in sight. Like it didn’t even know I was there. It barely looked in my direction but a quick glance once or twice. I’m quite certain this is far from reality. It knew where I was and figured I was likely no longer a threat and retreated to the den area after being spotted by me. This coyote no longer had the edge of being hidden while following me. After thinking about all of this it became a little uneasy knowing I was being stalked for such a long time without hearing this coyote. Another humbling experience in the woods. Unfortunately no orchids were found on my adventures this afternoon but the pups were a more than adequate substitute.

Photos, Troy's Blog

A Cold Mid May Morning

May 17, 2020 Troy

The forecast called for temperatures reaching the freezing level overnight which meant a possible foggy sunrise with the water temperatures well over freezing now. Waking up to catch the sunrise now means 5am or earlier. Just before 5 I woke up and looked outside. No clouds in the sky so likely a normal sunrise. No need to rush to get out of the house. Gathering up the camera, batteries, and some food for a morning out at the park I eventually made it to the car. Opening up the garage door and pulling out I could see the horizon lit up with deep red colors hanging on the few clouds low in the sky. Frustration entered as I was missing a beautiful sunrise. I quickly headed for a park closer than I planned to see if I could capture some of these colors but failed. By the time I got there the deep colors had faded. Well, on to my original destination. Of course I could not seem to get there as I passed the first turn, and then the second forcing me to drive most of the way around a lake to finally arrive at the park I was headed for.

Walking to an area I scouted out the day before I noticed some fog and a little frost on the ground here and there. The photo at the top shows the best I could come up with as the sun rose above the trees. While I like the picture, it’s not what I had in mind or was hoping for. Being able to watch a sunrise is still a soothing start to any day though. There were some interesting frost covered plants to enjoy briefly before temperatures rose. I spent a little time taking in some of the interesting patterns created by these little ice crystals before heading to a water side perch to see what wildlife was out and about. Most of the wildlife consisted of Red-Winged Blackbirds and a pair of Canadian Geese. After an hour I decided to move and scout some other areas for Showy Orchis habitat. Minnesota’s earliest native orchids to bloom which use to be much more plentiful but now a bit more challenging to locate.

As I left my waterside hideout and began walking a Great Blue Heron came flying by and landed in a great spot if I was still settled in my original spot. Another missed opportunity! Feeling even more defeated now I decided to hit a trail. This trail winds around this area of water with a nice open spot to see the surroundings since plants are not fully grown yet. I decided to walk off trail a little and check out the water to see if I could find this heron. Maybe there would be a photo opportunity yet. As I approached I scanned the waters edge for this large bird. About to give up I spotted it not more than 20 feet away. They never let people get that close without flying away. I decided to back away and find a place to sit. Maybe it would move on down the shoreline towards me for some nice pictures. No such luck. It moved a little towards my direction and then snagged a good size fish out of the water. The camera would not focus on the bird as it was behind quite a bit of grass and a tree branch. Soon after a boat came drifting into the area forcing this heron to move away further. Disappointed I continued on my search for Orchis habitat. Unfortunately I didn’t find that either. It really felt like a bit of a bust for the morning. I’m still glad I got out for a few hours to enjoy a bit of nature. Some outings are like that while others provide several opportunities. You just never know.

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Enjoying the Migration

May 9, 2020 Troy

One of my favorite things to watch in the spring are birds that are just passing through. That’s when we get to see the most diversity, and usually in their brightest colors. I try to get to a lake close by to see the sun rise above the horizon and watch wildlife begin their daily activities. Once people walk or run by with some consistency I know it’s time to head for home for the day. On one of these recent trips I noticed an Eagle fly up into a tree nearby. At first I lost sight of it. After moving in one direction and then another I spotted where it was perched but was quite certain I could not get there which would require walking almost directly underneath it. Another person strolled by and I pointed the camera in the general direction of the large bird expecting it to fly once she approached it. To my surprise it didn’t move so I began to walk in that direction also. I needed to get on the other side of it because the sun was coming from the wrong direction where I was and there were too many branches for a good photograph.

Keeping an eye on the eagle without actually looking directly at it, I moved to a better location with better light shining on the bird now. Attempting to appear as though I wasn’t interested in the eagle, I watched out over the lake for a few minutes. Once it began scanning the lake again I lifted the camera and focused for a few photos. With me on one side pointed a camera towards it and another person walking from the opposite direction proved too much for this eagle as it quickly departed. I never like to be the cause of wildlife having to move and was disappointed to have made it uncomfortable requiring it to fly away. Most likely, in this situation, it would have occurred anyway as people increased in numbers at this park with their dogs but I would have like a few more photos. Especially of an eagle capturing breakfast.

On a previous trip to this same park I was fortunate to capture a small group of Bufflehead ducks coming in for a landing. Things lined up perfectly in this instance with them approaching from across the lake right in front of me. As they got closer they turned and landed in the water with the sunlight in the opposite direction. That almost never happens and if it does the focus seems to get lost somewhere along the way. This particular group of Buffleheads seemed to stay in the area for awhile which I’ve not seen in previous years. It seems a little odd as more people frequent the area currently. And of course, what would be a trip to the lake without capturing a mallard? Especially one that comes right to the edge of the water in front of me.

While working with the mallard I notices several smaller birds flittering quickly among the trees above me. Eventually a few worked their way to the lower branches where I could capture a photo of them. As I expected, they turned out to be yellow rumped warblers which is a bird I frequently see during the early spring season as they make their way north. They’re always fun to watch and have some nice coloration bouncing from branch to branch and tree to tree. Hopefully there will be many other opportunities this spring to enjoy more migrating birds yet as the weather continues to warm up.

Exploring, Photos, spring, wildlife

An Early Spring Day

April 12, 2020 Troy

With many people taking shelter in theirs homes, the need to get outside for a little change is needed more and more. Fortunately getting out for a walk is encouraged when possible causing parks to be very popular places now. I’ve been able to explore a few places nearby on weekends and I’ve never seen these places so busy. Parking lots are full beyond capacity and signs of people out in nature are visible on many trails with napkins or tissues littering the ground. Whether it’s intentional or accidental I’m not sure. Wildlife must be a little confused on why their normally quiet places are now over run with people out wondering through. Hopefully they can still manage to find calm places as they prepare to raise their newborns soon. While joining these people out visiting nature, I’m reminded of why spring is such a great time of year to view wildlife.

Typically things become a lot more active as birds are migrating north and other creatures are emerging from hibernation. In addition leaves have not yet sprouted making them easier to locate. You can almost see these creatures enjoying a beautiful day taking in the suns rays finally warming up after enduring many cold months. While perched next to my car trying to find a little warmth myself on this cold morning, it was 19 degrees when I arrived, I noticed a large bird take off from a dead tree that I hadn’t noticed before. It flew a short distance and landed on the ground acting kind of like a Northern Harrier Hawk to me. A few minutes later it lifted from the ground returning to its form perch. By this time I had the camera pointed towards it capturing a photo of it landing again. When I went to view this picture on the camera screen I was surprised to identify this bird as a juvenile Eagle. Another surprise when viewing this picture was that another Eagle was also perched in this tree on a branch below.

Watching these Eagles for awhile became less interesting as they just stood their doing what appeared to be a whole lot of nothing. After awhile I caught movement in the sky above me which turned out to be an adult Eagle. I focused the camera on this Eagle in the sky and watched as it approached these two young birds. With appeared as though it wanted to land on this same tree which seemed a bit strange to me as Eagles tend not to want to be that close to other birds during the spring and summer. With only a quiet sound it came in for a landing and the two juvenile Eagles took off. Almost as if the adult was telling the young ones to get out and do something you lazy birds. They began flying around circling the adult a few times and then disappeared. As I continued my drive a little while later, I found these two lazy birds perched in another tree away from where the adult was. It brought a smile to my face thinking that Eagles have to motivate their young from time to time also.

Earlier in the morning I stopped to explore a prairie area looking for the earliest spring blooms of a Pasque flower. It was my goal the week before, along with finding colorful mushrooms, but I did not succeed in locating a plant in bloom as it was a bit too early yet. The trail had some heavy frost on it confirming the cold entering my hands and nose. It was beautiful but not the awe inspiring frosts I’ve seen before. Again I must be too early. No sign of the beautiful Pasque flower even thinking about raising it’s light purple blooms towards the sky. My short hike continued through the prairie without seeing any signs of life but still enjoying all the birds chattering in the trees nearby.

As I continued on my journey through the park I encountered some Sandhill Cranes. These are such fascinating birds to me and I just love watching and listening to them whenever there’s a chance. During the fall migrations through this same area there will be thousands of these birds congregating together but now they mostly stay in pairs warning other cranes this is their territory at the moment. My first indication that other cranes where flying nearby was the head raising squawks of those on the ground I was watching. Fortunately I was able to capture such a moment as two Sandhill Cranes were crossing the road in front of me.

Those cranes continued on into the nearby wetlands where they’re commonly found pecking here and there at what must have been things to eat. They made a wide circle around me eventually continuing on to wherever it was they wanted to go. Meanwhile I just stood next to my car glancing now and then in their direction and occasionally lifting my camera to capture a shot. My goal is to disturb wildlife as little as possible so I try not to chase after them attempting to get a better picture. I would rather miss a shot and let the animal stay calm when possible. Patience is often rewarded as these cranes paused in some nice sunlight allowing me to grab a few photos of them before they moved on. I could have stayed here all day just watching and listening as the animals continue to meander around.

Adventures, Isle Royale National Park, Troy's Blog

Isle Royale – A Moose Close Up and Personal

March 29, 2020 Troy

A day after hiking into Siskiwit Bay I wanted to back track on the trail we came in on the day before. We passed a beautiful meadow in full bloom that I wanted to take a few photos of. On the way I was talking with my cousin, who was also coming with, and noticed something unusual out of the corner of my eye. There was a line of trees to our right. Studying this cluster of trees I saw something move on the other side of them. It turned out to be a bull moose grazing. We stopped to watch it for awhile. A couple of other hikers appeared on the trail at this moment stopping in there tracks wondering what we were looking at. After spotting the moose they watched until it laid down in the trees and then they continued on. We decided to move on also and see if we could locate the moose on our way back.

Wondering around the meadow, all that was missing was a nice blue sky with a few soft, white clouds passing by. Unfortunately there were more clouds than sun making the meadow less spectacular but still beautiful. We spent about 20 minutes taking pictures and decided to head back towards our shelter. On the way back I headed towards the trees where the moose was earlier in hopes of being able to find it in a more photogenic place. As I was nearing the trees my cousin began to yell in a hushed voice “He’s still there!” I immediately stopped, looked up and spotted him close to where we left him but he was standing now. Watching him again he was just following the tree line away from us while foraging for leaves along the way.

I decided to quickly walk down the trail trying to get ahead of this moose. There was a clearing in the trees and if he continued to move in the same direction, would give me an opportunity for a nice shot. Successfully moving into position, I crouched down near a clump of trees and got my camera ready. My cousin continued down the trail and found another spot to potentially photograph the moose also. In a matter of minutes the moose was nearing the opening as I was hoping for. I began to shoot away and enjoyed watching as the moose lingered near this opening in the trees. He seemed to be continuing on near the tree line but suddenly stopped. I could see his ears now above his head pointed towards my cousin. I could hear my cousin shifting from time to time and the moose seemed to be able to hear it also.

Now the moose backed up and looked back and forth through the opening in the trees which began to make me nervous and excited at the same time. It provided a nice opportunity to get some close up photos of a full sized bull moose but I’m feeling in the way of where the moose may want to go. After glancing my way the moose turned once again towards his original direction bringing a small sigh of relief. I was now ready for the moose to continue on allowing me to exit without a confrontation being quite sure which one of us would win in a direct confrontation. The odds were not in my favor. A few steps towards the trees and the moose stopped again and paused with ears pinned forward.

Once again the moose retreated a few steps and turn towards me. Only this time he took more steps in my direction causing my heartbeat to pick up. A thrilling and unnerving situation to be in. I continued to take advantage while I could and photograph the moose. My camera was on manual focus in order to minimize the noise as I snapped pictures. This monstrous animal continued to move in my direction heading straight for me. At this point I stopped focusing my lens in order to keep as still as possible hoping the approaching moose wouldn’t notice I was there. As the moose got closer and closer I was trying to figure out my escape plan. What are my chances if I play ring around the trees with this large animal? Just a few lengths away, I snapped one last photo before this adult bull moose turned feet from me and ran around the clump of trees I was crouching behind.

Breathing a sigh of relief I realized I had been holding my breath for some time now in an effort to remain still as the moose worked his way towards me. It took me a few seconds to regain enough strength in my legs to stand up and begin to walk towards my cousin. Turning around to look back at where I was and where the moose traveled, I wanted to figure out just how close it was. Fortunately the moose’s footprints were still in the grass allowing me to track exactly where it went. In the picture below, there’s a clump of trees just to the right of the trail with a downed tree in front of it. I was right next to this clump near the trail. The moose came close to the other side of that clump wanting to exit the forest on this side. Stepping off his closest point to me, I measured about 15 feet between me and the moose before it changed direction. WAY TOO CLOSE! Fortunate for me there was no incident. My adrenaline started pumping at this wild experience. Later that day I wondered, “did the moose also sigh relief believing it almost got killed?”

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

A May Morning Watching Migrating Birds

May 25, 2019 Troy

A beautiful early May morning was begging for my attention as the landscape around me was coming back to life with plants finally leafing out after a long, cold winter and birds returning from their southern hiatus seeming to finally relax a little as the sun continued to warm the air. I was hoping to find a few ducks stopping by a local pond to refuel before continuing North to find a good spot to nest however there were few to be found. In their place were many different types of birds. Some I’ve seen before and others were a new find.

Several of these Lessor Yellowlegs were combing the shoreline looking for their next meal. After initially taking off from the area they quickly returned once I was settled in a downed tree waiting for wildlife to begin moving again. In a short amount of time these shore birds continued on with their tasks with little concern for the new creature invading their temporary place allowing for some nice close up photos as they seemed to continually fight over this particular log jutting out into the shallow water. They were very entertaining!

Occasionally I would have visitors to nearby trees, at times even in the same tree I was perched in. The bird above is a Yellow Rumped Warbler in full breeding plumage. Several of these warblers visited my area, each one unique and beautiful. I would watch for the few seconds they would remain still as they returned my gaze attempting to figure out what I was doing before continuing on in their quest for food.

Throughout the morning a few other warblers flew by and stopped for a brief moment to say hello. At least that’s what it seemed like although the Palm Warbler above seems a bit confused while trying to figure out what this big eye was doing pointed right at it. I’m not sure if it could see it’s reflection in the lens or not. The Yellow Warbler below flew by me multiple times. Finally during one of those passes it decided to land in the tree I was crouched in and gave me an opportunity to get my camera in place capturing a few pictures of it and then it was gone.

After residing among tree branches for over four hours it was difficult to stand up and get walking again. Well worth the morning enjoying a spring day with all of this wildlife moving around me. Over the course of the morning there were some ducks, swans, eagles, a mink, and a deer swimming across the pond to add to all of these birds coming and going. A lot of fun!

New Experiences, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Returning to the Rookery

April 21, 2019 Troy

This past winter I was talking to some photographers who mentioned a Great Blue Heron rookery (nesting site) relatively close to me and that no matter what the weather, herons begin to return in March. One nice early spring day, the first day of spring in fact, I took some time to stop by and see where this place was and if the herons were indeed returning yet. To my surprise there were many birds already there squabbling over which nest they wanted. There were several nests still unoccupied so I expect there will be more birds migrating to the area as spring progresses.

While watching several pairs of Great Blue Herons it was interesting to observe how they interacted with each other and with other herons in the area. Each checking different nests trying to pick just the right one to raise new little herons and defending that nest from others. I focused on one pair for awhile, watching and photographing some of their behaviors, as I continued to learn more about these larger birds. After checking a few nests thoroughly, they seemed to settle on one. However, that one nest still required some work before it would be suitable to lay eggs into.

At one point there seemed to be a discussion and disagreement over an aspect of this nest which you can see from the photo above. I couldn’t tell what the issue was but the result was one of the herons flying away from the nest to find solitude in the river banks below. The picture below shows the Great Blue Heron taking off from the nest while the other one continues to inspect parts of the potential nest. While away, the remaining bird made some adjustments to the sticks improving this chosen nesting site.

Five minutes later this heron returned to the nest and the pair seemed to make up and act as though they missed one another. For a couple of minutes they spent time kind of cuddling with one another before returning to the task of re-enforcing their nest. In the picture below you can see them with their heads crossed almost as if they were hugging. Maybe this is just some sort of method of checking out if they had been near another bird or reconnecting their bond. Whatever it was it was interesting to witness.

Part of reconstructing their nest involved flying to another vacant nest, and stealing branches that could be used on their own nest showing why getting to the rookery earlier in the year was beneficial and worth risking exposure to bad weather which could include snow. And lots of it!

It’s interesting to watch as they would check several branches for just to right one for their own nest. Once the branch was chosen they would, not so carefully remove it from the nest and fly back with it in mouth.

After several sticks added and repairs were made, the nest was deemed suitable allowing for some rest before the real work of raising young arrived.

New Experiences, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Spring Eagle Migration

April 7, 2019 Troy

A couple of weeks ago I spent a Saturday in Wabasha, Minnesota photographing Bald Eagles as they return north after the cold winter. The National Eagle Center in Wabasha tracks Eagle numbers throughout March and the count for this weekend looked really good provided many opportunities to watch these magnificent birds of prey. After finishing my commitments on Friday night I quickly ran around the house gathering equipment and gear I might need for a day along the Mighty Mississippi tracking and photographing Eagles.

Awaking well before dawn, on a short nights rest, I got my remaining gear and some food together and headed out the door. It was just after 4:45am which would give me enough time to make the nearly 2 hour drive to Wabasha and arrive there to see the sun rise above the horizon as Eagles begin to take to the sky for the day. It was a nice day for an adventure with temperatures reaching above freezing making for a comfortable day outside without excessive layers of clothes. The drive went by quickly with the horizon beginning to cast light into drifting clouds as I got closer bringing out some beautiful pinks in the sky. Reaching the first stop for the day at Reeds Landing, the sun was only moments from breaking above the trees across the river. Getting set up to take some pictures of the sunrise, Eagles were already flying above distracting me from the first mornings’ light.

While the sun continued to rise I attempted to capture an Eagle in the photo as they flew overhead but was unsuccessful as it was still too dark and the Eagles turned out blurry so I returned to focus only on the sunrise for the time being. One of the nice things about Eagle watching at that time of year is if you see a large bird, it’s likely an Eagle. During much of the summer I’m often fooled by larger birds that turn out to be Turkey Vultures and then disappointed. In a short time the light from the rising sun increased enough to begin capturing birds in flight. Just at that time a young one flew into view heading right in my direction. Focusing the camera on it I began to snap away getting some beautiful photos as it got closer. The result is the picture at the top of this post.

The biggest challenge of photographing these Eagles is to find a spot to get close enough for some great photos. Often times they will fly away from you or land on the other side of the river where they are too far away to get great shots. Even with that, opportunities did become available from time to time. The trick was to be ready and have the camera settings right for the situation. Sometimes it works out and other times I was frustrated with a blurry shot wanting to slam the camera and lens to the ground. All in all it was a lot of fun to photograph these beautiful birds and watch as they interacted with each other and flew overhead. Listening to their calls, which sounds very little like the sounds you hear on TV shows, wondering what they’re saying to each other. Sometimes they called one another to the tree they’re in and other times it was letting anther Eagle know they are not welcome to land in that tree. But many of the calls I couldn’t figure out the purpose of.

After awhile the Eagles seem to move away from an area requiring getting back into the vehicle to search for more elsewhere along the river. There are several nests in this area also. These are quite impressive to see as they’re so large. Almost like a tree fort. All of this just for an little Eagle or two. These nests are constructed over several years, increasing in size each time. There was one nest being guarded by an Eagle giving some perspective on how large the nest is.

Throughout the day there were many Eagles soaring in the warming sun. Every once in awhile there would be a couple of birds arguing over a particular fishing spot or certain territory in a tree or on the remaining ice along the river making for some interesting and entertaining behavior. Several times I attempted to capture this with the camera but often it was over before I could capture the event. There were a few that I managed to photograph but they were often far away allowing the Eagles to avoid a close-up shot. The picture below is one of the best shots I managed to capture. These two were arguing over this location on the ice. It lasted for less than a minute.

As the day got later I continued to work on capturing an Eagle swooping down to catch a fish. Unfortunately I had little success. The bird, captured below, has a fish in it’s talons while heading to a tree away from all the other birds to feast without being disturbed by another Eagle trying to steal the fresh meal. I watched this one gliding over the water and then circle around before plucking a fish out of the river all the while snapping away. Unfortunately those pictures are all a little blurry and the actual moment of catching the fish was missed. I have a photo of the Eagle touching the water and another one just after it caught the fish. While it’s nice to see those shots, it’s also disappointing as they are not great compositionally or completely in focus. Something to continue to work on. Even after this bird caught the fish I didn’t stop tracking it and luckily I didn’t. It ended up flying almost overhead as it headed towards the hills behind me giving me more opportunities to grab a picture with a fish in the talons.

Near the end of the day the light was getting too low for good picture taking of the Eagles so I headed to a spot to enjoy the last rays of the sun for the day before making the trek back home. Thankfully it was a beautiful sunset over the vast Mississippi River as you can see in the small Panorama below.

Gaining Life Experience

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