Here's A Bird That Took Me Completely By Surprise. (Content Warning For A Predator Eating/carrying Prey.

Our summer vacation for 2022 was a road trip through the Dakotas, with brief dips into Montana and Wyoming. I was impossibly excited for the trip, as it was the first time since I started birding that we'd be seeing birds of the Western United States. Even better, it was right at the start of nesting season in June. Every stop held the possibility of a lifer, including this beauty.

[ID: A female Mountain Bluebird clings to a bare branch on a small shrub, standing in profile. Her body and head are subtle variations of whites and greys. She has a bright white eye ring, black bill and feet, and thin black lines bordering hints of brilliant blue in her wingtips and tail. The background is the out-of-focus greens and browns of a prairie dog town. End ID]

This is a female Mountain Bluebird. We found her while exploring one of the prairie dog towns in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Every variety of North American bluebird is lovely, but I remember being struck by the subtle variation of whites and greys and barest hints of brilliant blue in her wingtips and tail. I hadn't seen anything like her in my explorations to that point, so I knew I was seeing the species for the first time. It's always special when you encounter a new species and they seem to be checking you out just as closely as you're scrutinizing them.

Over the summer, I decided I had reached a plateau in the quality of shots I could expect with my beginner DSLR (Canon EOS Rebel T7i). I messed around with a couple different mirrorless cameras and eventually landed on the Canon EOS R5. After renting one for a weekend, I was pretty well convinced that this was the camera for me.

I think this may have been the shot that sold me, though. I was wandering the paths at Pheasant Branch Conservancy and decided to sit for a moment at the end of the boardwalk leading to the river there. After a few minutes, I spotted something flying low over the river headed right toward me. I got her in frame just as she turned upward to find a perch in a tree on the bank.

[ID: A female Belted Kingfisher flies up and to the left with wings fully outstretched. She's in a sharp turn and looking up to find a perch out of the frame. She has a blue-grey head and wings, with a white body and alternating pattern of white and grey on the underside of her wings. She is clearly identified as female from the bright orange across her breast and orange patches in her wing pits. End ID]

I realized it was a female Belted Kingfisher only after reviewing the ten or so frames from that one burst shot. It wasn't my first time seeing this species, but it is surely my best capture of one to date. I would not have managed to pull focus so quickly or freeze the bird with that level of detail on my previous equipment. Being able to capture photos like this after only a few hours with the camera made it pretty clear that it was the right choice.

So it's this fan-created film preservation of the original Star Wars trilogy films. An English teacher named Petr Harmáček led a project with eight other fans to undo the various alterations made by Lucas in the 1997, 2004, and 2011 home video releases, calling the edits "an act of cultural vandalism". They used photoshop and rotoscoping techniques to

[ID: A pair of Tundra Swans are swimming on a pond close to one another. They are facing the camera and the Swan on the right is leaning close the one on the left and appears to be yelling right into their companion's ear. The Swan on the left appears to be staring into the middle distance, not necessarily listening. End ID]

owls from animal crossing new horizons

-bella

I saw one of these at Sweetwater Wetlands a couple weeks ago! I'm so excited to have an ID, as I barely know anything about lizards!

[ID: A Stout Desert Spiny Lizard sits on a grey rock, apparently doing a territorial display which looks like it is doing a push up. It is a mostly white and grey spiny lizard with a black shoulder patch, blue throat scales, and various scales with red, orange, and yellow edges along its flanks and back. End ID]

The bodybuilder.

A stout desert spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister) performing his push up territorial display. At Tohono Chul, Tucson, Arizona.

So here's a fun one. I was up in Eagle River, WI at a friend's lake house this past September. We were out on the pontoon boat tooling around and enjoying the day. I had my 4-year-old kid on my lap when the driver says, "Bald Eagle, right ahead!"

The bird flew right over the top of the boat, maybe 50 feet up. I just barely managed to get it in frame directly above us, with my kid acting as a counterweight to keep me from tipping over backward.

[ID: An adult Bald Eagle flying with the overcast sky as a background. The bird is photographed from below. It's looking down and to its right, with wings partially extended mid-flap. It has an entirely brown body and wings, white head and tail, and yellow bill and feet. Its head is turned such that only the left eye is visible, resulting in a very serious or concentrated expression. End ID]

I've been away for a bit! Turns out that it's harder to find time to take photos of birds, much less blog about it, when you have a second tiny child to care for. My baby was born in May, essentially right in the middle of peak migration for Wisconsin, so I've spent far less time gently cradling a camera this year and much more time with a wiggly kid slung over my shoulder. However, my partner is kind enough to carve out the odd hour for me to sit by myself and look up.

[ID: A Palm Warbler sits on a branch, wings folded, looking toward the sunlight. The bird is just a couple inches tall, and is sporting the mostly pale plumage that is typical of Warblers in the fall. Head in profile, the bird looks out with a dark brown eye from gray head feathers with a somewhat darker gray cap and eye stripe. The breast is a lightly streaked pale yellow, and only the under-tail coverts show a brighter yellow that would be expected of this species in spring. End ID]

I found this individual taking a small break in one of the trees in my backyard. Normally, Warblers like this one are constantly in motion, darting around in search of food to fuel their long southerly migration. But this one must have had their fill for the time being, content to sit still and take in the sights of our little patch in Madison. It was early afternoon, and the light was sifting beautifully through the leaves of the trees. I can understand why they would choose this place to rest for a moment.

[ID: The same Palm Warbler sits on a smaller branch, this time presenting their right flank to the camera. Their wings are showing the same light shade of gray as their head. From this angle, it's apparent how fluffed the little bird is, insulating themselves against the slight chill in the air. End ID]

I knew right away that this was a Palm Warbler from the way they pumped their tail up and down, up and down. Even when they were otherwise still, that tail was still going at times. What were they thinking about on this brief stop, looking south toward the lake and beyond to their destination? Did they have any children this spring? Would they take them to Cuba? Puerto Rico? Surely someone has to show the young ones the way to their winter home...

I picked up a lifer, folks! We were canoeing along the Mississippi River a couple weeks ago, on a camping trip at Merrick State Park. I was keeping a bird list from the back of the canoe, likely doing less than my fair share of paddling, when I saw a shockingly yellow bird on the shore.

[ID: A pair of Prothonotary Warblers are perched on the same thin branch of a tree. The branch is running vertically across the frame with an adult male clinging to the upper part and a juvenile sitting just below him and looking upward. The male has an incredibly bright yellow head and body. His upper wings and back are green, and his wings change to grey-blue as they extend backward to the primary flight feathers. He has a sharp black beak and a shiny black eye. The juvenile is looking up at the male, mouth open and begging for something to eat. Their body is mostly pale grey, with a few patches of yellow on their throat and sides. They look a bit shaggier compared to the sleek feathers of the adult male. End ID]

I remember exclaiming to my partner, "It's a Warbler! Could that be a Prothonotary?", right before it disappeared into the trees. When she turned around to look, another Warbler appeared in the same spot, but this one was duller yellow. I quietly cursed my lack of a camera (the protection plan explicitly does not cover dropping it into a river), and pulled out my phone to try to pick up any songs. Sure enough, Merlin confirmed the quiet trilling as a Prothonotary! We steered the canoe back around to try for a better look, but they were gone.

[ID: A female Prothonotary Warbler clings to the end of a tiny branch with wispy silk strands on it. She's distinguished from the male by a somewhat duller yellow on her head and back, but otherwise looks very much like her mate. She's collecting what appears to be insect larvae with her bill, which look like tiny grains of white rice. End ID]

Needless to say, I was excited at seeing a new species and lamenting the addition of that same species to my "no pics" list. Later on we were relaxing at the campsite and reading our books when my partner says, "Clay, come here! Is this your bird?! They're chasing each other!" This time I could snatch up my camera before joining her at the edge of the site. And she was right! We had several little Prothonotaries flitting around and peeping at each other. After watching for a few minutes, I realized it was multiple juveniles being fed by their their parents. The kids must have just recently fledged, as they were sitting in very conspicuous places and yelling for food while mom and dad were shuttling tasty bits back and forth.

[ID: An adult male Prothonotary Warbler feeds a juvenile. The same male from the first image is perched on a branch in the sunlight, placing something directly into the mouth of his child. From this angle, the color differences between parent and child are very apparent, with the child looking almost entirely grey on their upper parts, aside from a few streaks of dull green along the back. End ID]

I was feeling incredibly fortunate to get a better look at these energetic birds, but it was tough to keep them in the frame. I found that the kids would generally pick a spot out in the open where they could make lots of noise and be sure their parents could find them. If I stayed on a child, I could be sure that a parent would be returning very soon. I also realized that it wasn't just the fledglings peeping frantically for food. Dad was staying mostly silent while foraging down in the understory, but he would give a few quick peeps after finding something to eat. It felt a lot like he was saying, "I found a bug! Where are you? Come and get it!"

[ID: A juvenile Prothonotary Warbler sits on a branch, waiting for their next bit of food. Their bill is open and wings are slightly extended, fluttering in what must be the universal dance for telling your parent that you're hungry. If you are a small bird, that is. End ID]

I must have spent an hour just following these babies down the little access road for driving up to the campsites, taking tons of photos and watching for brief glimpses of a parent. I moved slowly and calmly so as not to disturb them, but they seemed to go about their business as though I wasn't even there. The kids stuck mostly to the edges of the woods, at eye level or higher, but dad was up in the trees, down in the open grass, and just about anywhere you might find a spider or a gnat. He was often flying within a foot or two of me as he crossed the road in tireless pursuit of his goal.

[ID: A juvenile Prothonotary Warbler poses on a branch, patiently waiting for food this time. The bird is well-lit and sitting in front of a very dark patch of forest, which makes the background look almost black. This juvenile has more dull green on their face and flanks where the others were more grey and yellow, but they have the same shaggy appearance of being just recently fledged. End ID]

Thinking back, the experience was almost surreal. I knew I was walking down a paved road in a sold-out campsite, but I was in this little pocket of existence, watching these devoted parents do everything they could to make sure their children would grow up strong and healthy. For this little family, in the few weeks where this river bank has everything they need, the rest of the world might as well not be there.

I went birding at Aldo Leopold Nature Center in Monona, WI today. One highlight of the hike was all the American Tree Sparrows foraging in the tall grass around the center. This one in particular was checking me out quite a bit from various perches just off the path. (I could tell it was the same one from that little bit of something stuck to their bill.)

[ID: An American Tree Sparrow clings to a small twig. The Sparrow fills the frame, showing the details of the tan and brown streaks in its wings, broken up by two white wing bars. Its head is mostly gray with a brown eyeline cutting across a dark eye and a ruddy brown cap. It has the characteristic two-tone bill, grey above and yellow below, with a small bit of something black stuck to the lower bill. End ID]

I also got to see two distinct Red-tailed Hawks wheeling around overhead, likely looking for prey. The first one is likely immature, judging from the banded tail without much red in it, while the second one is clearly an adult.

[ID: An immature Red-tailed Hawk soars in an overcast sky. The hawk is mostly while, with brown streaks on the head and breast. the wings have flecks of brown, and the light shining through the wings and tail show thin bars. End ID]

[ID: An adult Red-tailed Hawk flies toward the camera at an angle. The hawk is mostly white with a brown head and brown edges on the outstretched wings. Its yellow legs are hanging down, showing an aluminum leg band on the left one. The tail is fanned and tawny brown, indicating that this is a mature adult. End ID]

There were also lots of Dark-eyed Juncos mixed in with the Tree Sparrows. They were generally more skittish, but I did snag this nice photo of a Junco checking the scene from the top of a bare bush.

[ID: A Dark-eyed Junco sits on a bare twig at the top of a bush, looking just to the left of straight at the camera. It is almost entirely grey, with white underparts and a pale pink beak. End ID]

Folks, I picked up a lifer just down the street from my house! It was raining a bit on Sunday, so we decided to dig our raincoats out of storage and go hunt for some puddles in need of splashing. Now, I've learned my lesson over the past couple years: never leave home without the binoculars or the camera. And this time I was very glad I grabbed the bins before heading out.

[ID: A Horned Grebe floats on the blue water of Lake Monona. They are facing to the right, showing an impressive profile in the evening sunlight. The Grebe is a small ducklike creature, mostly black with smudges of brown on the flanks and throat. Their head is their most striking feature, black with piercing red eyes. Above and behind each eye a tan stripe radiates backward to create a small crest, the eponymous horns. A thin line of pink skin traces forward from the eye to join with the black dagger of a bill tipped with white. Small beads of water sit on the Grebe's back from their most recent dive below the surface. End ID]

But wait, wasn't it raining at the beginning of this story? It was! We wandered through the neighborhood for a while, mom and kid forging ahead while I lagged behind counting Sparrows and Finches. We made our way down to a park at the edge of Lake Monona. Of course, I had to go out on the dock to check the water for anything interesting. Sure enough, there were a pair of small birds bobbing with the waves, diving down to hunt, and popping back up again. I said to myself, "are those Grebes?" just before I noticed a flash of tan on their heads. Folks, I knew I had never seen a Grebe with tan on it before! I called Caitlin over, handed her the binoculars, and dashed home to grab my camera.

[ID: A Horned Grebe floats on the choppy grey water of Lake Monona. The bird appears to be drenched, but unbothered by the rain. In the low light it's just possible to make out the tan horn on their head and the brownish flank against the black body. End ID]

The above photo is a much more accurate representation of my view from Sunday. The rain began to pick up as I was returning with my camera, but I ignored the poor conditions and set up to shoot anyway. I needed to be sure of the species for my life list! So I got cozy on the downwind side of a nearby tree and started scanning the water for small black birds popping up. I did eventually relocate them, fairly far out on the lake. I was also surprised to see a Common Loon cruise by at a much closer distance.

[A Common Loon floats in profile, partially submerged, on the grey water of Lake Monona. The Loon is almost entirely black, with the white checked back and tapered white neck band characteristic of their breeding plumage. Their gently curved head and knifelike bill are jet black. End ID]

Certainly not the best pictures I've taken, but they were good enough to make a positive ID. For the time being, I would have to be content with this documentation. A couple days later, however, the clouds had passed through and we had just enough time for a walk before dinner. And it was golden hour! Perhaps the Grebes were still around?

[ID: A Horned Grebe floats on the blue water of Lake Monona. The lake is much calmer and the sunlight is reflecting off the wet feathers of the Grebe. End ID]

Not only was the Horned Grebe back at the same dock, it was much closer this time and very cooperative, turning back and forth to make sure I could see their best angles. I sat right down at the end of the dock and snapped away while my kid went looking for sticks to bash on the rocks at the shoreline. It was very peaceful sitting out by the lake, listening to the birdsong, the fitness class at the top of the hill, the captain of the rowing team calling out their orders, my son making up games about climbing the rocks and telling me all the arcane rules he just uncovered. Even the Loon came back around for another cruise.

[ID: A Common Loon floats out in the distance on the blue water of Lake Monona. End ID]